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EVERY-DAY 
EVANGELISM 



Personal 
Trained 
Co-operative 



'By 
Frederick DeLand Leete, D. D., 

Pastor Central Methodist Episcopal Church, 
Detroit, Michigan 



Cincinnati : Jennings and Graham 
New York: Eaton and Mains 






of CONGRESS 

J ";.•:. '.jjoie!? Received 

j MAh 18 1809 



Copyright, 1909, 
By Jennings & Graham 



CONTENTS 



Page 

Introduction, - - Bishop J, F, Berry 5 

Foreword, - - 11 

I. Christianity's Greatest Problem, - 17 

11. Evangelistic Efforts, - - - - 29 

III. Continuous Evangelism, - - - 43 

IV. Organization for Personal Work, - 56 
V. Pastoral Leadership, - - - 72 

VI. Instruction of Workers, - - - 89 

VII. Procuring Material, - - - 103 

VIII. Following up Results, - - - - 115 

IX. Reflex Influences, - - - - 132 

X. Topics and Outlines, - - - - 145 

XL Illustrative Incidents, - - - 159 

XII. The King's Business, - - - - 189 

Books Which May Prove Helpful, - - 206 



INTRODUCTION 



The number of books dealing with the different 
phases of evangelistic work is already large. New 
ones are constantly coming from the press. But 
three out of four of these are theoretical rather 
than practical. The little book which I now have 
the pleasure of introducing to the Christian public 
belongs to the latter class. While it is not osten- 
sibly a manual of revival methods, it will, never- 
theless, serve that useful purpose. In many years 
of editorial experience I never examined a manu- 
script dealing with this vital matter which struck 
me as more suggestive. 

The book in your hands puts emphasis upon 
pastoral evangelism. That is well. The recogni- 
tion by the minister of his mission as an evangelist 
and the renewal of confidence in his ability to lead 
sinners to Jesus Christ is one of the most urgent 
needs of the hour. 

I have no criticism of the confederation of min- 
isters and Churches in gigantic meetings for mutual 
inspiration, convocations where Christians come 

5 



6 Introduction 

together in a great tabernacle or hall and for a 
time listen to some far-famed evangelist and the 
solos of his equally famous singer. Such meetings 
often prove to be a great school of Christian cul- 
ture, and do much good. But the real work of 
seeking and saving the lost in any community must 
be done by individual Churches. Indeed, it must 
be done by individual Christians. And in this work 
the pastor is the logical leader. Any influences 
which break down his leadership are to be deplored. 
Every normal minister of Jesus Christ is an 
evangelist. If he is not an evangelist, he is not 
a normal minister. He may not have the resource- 
fulness which will enable him to organize forces 
and manipulate great congregations. But he will 
lead sinners to the Savior of the world. What a 
field of opportunity the pastor has! The com- 
munity with its many personal friendships, the 
congregation with its unsaved members, the young 
people's society with its buoyant, inspiring young 
members, many of whom are unconverted, the 
Sunday-school with its hundreds of boys and girls 
at an age when the heart is most susceptible to 
spiritual appeal — the pastor is the center of all this 
life, and if he will, he may win it for his Lord. 
I meet pastors who have lost faith in their ability 
to evangelize. They would like to have revivals, 



Introduction 7 

but the secret seems to have been lost. So with 
sad hearts they turn to others to lead their unsaved 
people to decision and salvation. What a pity! 
By every reason which the logic of the situation 
suggests, the pastor himself should have the joy 
of winning these souls. When 80,000 evangelical 
ministers recognize the truth that they are the 
80,000 evangelistic leaders of the Church, we will 
have such an ingathering as has not been seen for 
generations ! And will not that ingathering be 
largely of the continuous sort? 

It is also true that every real Christian in the 
ranks of the laity is an evangelist. He must be 
or he is not a Christian. The philosophy of the 
world's evangelization is individualism, both in 
praying and in working. One saved soul going 
after an unsaved soul with yearning heart and 
eager step and tender entreaty — this is the Chris- 
tian's unspeakable privilege. And it is a duty. 
It is a duty which can not be escaped. It is a 
duty which no one will seek to escape whose heart 
has been quickened and illumined by the Holy 
Spirit. So many of our Christians are such only 
in name. They are indifferent to spiritual things. 
The passion of the Christian propaganda is not 
upon them. They need to be brought under con- 
viction, aroused from their lethargy, renewed by 



8 Introduction 

the Holy Spirit and endued with power for per- 
sonal service. If even one quarter of our vast 
membership could be enlisted in the work of indi- 
vidual evangelism, what a spiritual revolution there 
would be! 

Because of the convictions expressed in the two 
preceding paragraphs, I am glad my friend has 
written his book. It will prove a most valuable 
contribution to the literature which heralds the 
dawning of the new era of pastoral, personal, 
every-day evangelism. Dr. Leete is himself the 
embodiment of much that he has written. He does 
not deal in theories. The plans he commends to 
other pastors he has used himself. That these 
methods will stand the test of actual use is shown 
by their extraordinary success in his own Church. 
For several years the Central Church of Detroit 
has been in a continuous revival, and Dr. Leete 
has become one of the most successful pastoral 
evangelists of our day. He consented to write the 
pages which follow only after I had earnestly 
urged him to do so, and I trust his burning words 
may be made a blessing to thousands upon thou- 
sands of those who, both in pulpit and in pew, are 
called of God to do effective and fruitful evan- 
gelistic service. 

Buffalo, N. Y. Joseph F. Berry. 



6. 



'€ov yap ea-fxev crvvepyot. 



FOREWORD 



The greatest human undertaking is the effort 
to increase the number of those who, being saved 
from the guilt and power of sin, rejoice in the love 
and service of Jesus Christ. 

To engage upon this work the Church of Christ 
is divinely called. It is not something to be chosen 
if one pleases ; it is a duty to be discharged in the 
spirit of loving obedience, and whose neglect is sin. 

In "The Man of the Hour," a Socialist St. 
Francis expresses this burning truth: "The re- 
demption of humanity is not an alms, It is a 
religion.'' Attached to this service has been a 
sense of merit like that of the Martyrs and Confes- 
sors, which is altogether out of place. To seek 
access to the hearts of men, bringing to them the 
gospel; to lead those who do not know Him into 
the light of Christ's presence and love, is the 
natural expression of true faith, as well as the 
strong impulse of the spirit which is conscious of 
God's grace, and which realizes and responds to 
the deepest needs of men. 

There is a growing conviction that definite 
11 



12 Foreword 

individual approach to individual minds is the law 
of growth, both for Christians and for the King- 
dom of Christ. To use the term of Dr. W. B. 
Riley, this is the "perennial revival," which, in- 
spired and instructed through the regular offices 
of the Church and supplemented by such special 
meetings as are deemed wise, is to reach the next 
generation with the Christian evangel. 

One of the strong features of personal evan- 
gelism is that it is largely free from the charge of 
"crude emotionalism," and wholly so from "crowd 
coercion," perhaps too radically opposed by Pro- 
fessor Davenport and others. But let it not be 
thought that it is an indifferent matter, or one to 
be done dispassionately, to teach Christ, and to 
lead those who have not known it into a vital Chris- 
tian experience. On the part of those who forget 
that men have affections as well as brains, emotional 
as well as mental faculties and processes, it is not 
unfashionable to speak lightly of zeal with refer- 
ence to evangelism and Christian service. It is 
sometimes regarded as giving proof of superior 
wisdom to patronize or even to disparage this ear- 
nestness. Rather is not this evidence of degeneracy.'^ 

In all great movements there are three periods, 
and Christianity has more than once passed through 
them all. There is the time of power and achieve- 



Foreword 13 

ment. Minds are active, hands are strong, hearts 
are warm ; therefore does the cause prosper. Then 
comes the cooHng process. The world encroaches ; 
on the part of many, stereotyped phrases replace 
sturdy faith, and trite methods are made ridiculous 
by constantly weaker reproductions and imitations. 
The third period is that of the critics, who preach 
not the gospel, but about the gospel, who save no 
souls themselves, but discuss those who, striving 
against adverse tendencies and the deadness both 
within and without the Church seek to do this; 
dissecting their message, their modus operandi, and 
even their motives, not hesitating to alienate their 
public, some at least of whom they would otherwise 
keep from wrecked lives and Christless graves. 
This is small business and it would be left to the 
small minded, were it not that some men of good 
intellect have little hearts. Thus in many places 
during recent years we have the unpleasant spec- 
tacle of faithful Churches and pastors seeking to 
bring the masses of unsaved people about them 
into Christian experience, and to develop the faith 
and activities of Church memberships, while others 
wittily or even coarsely depreciate their efforts, or 
satisfy themselves that they are doing the work 
of God in proselyting the more prosperous and 
worldly members of sister Churches. 



14 Foreword 

The remedy for all this is a new spiritual move- 
ment, a gracious reinspiration of the Church, such 
as God effected through the Wesleys and their 
helpers. How shall it be realized? In answer to 
prayer, and by the introduction of many Christian 
people into such a love of Christ and desire for 
the coming of His kingdom as results only from 
the effort to bring others into a new life, or to 
lead them to dedicate themselves to the offices of 
Christian usefulness. 

There are signs that the materialism and con- 
sequent decay of conscience, too painfully evident 
in recent years, are being conquered by a better 
spirit, and one which gives more hope to those 
who desire the world's salvation. When gold is 
king, or pleasure, or success, there is small chance 
for ideals. Now that there is a loud cry of pro- 
test against commercial and political dishonesty, 
and an insistent demand for obedience to a higher 
law than that of expediency and gain, there is 
hope of the cultivation of the spirit which seeks 
to lay up treasure above. As the civic movement 
begotten of an ineradicable Christian consciousness, 
aided by a new generation of literary men whose 
thought is upon ethical standards, struggles for 
improved conditions in public affairs, there will be 
strong reciprocal relations with the definite re- 



Foreword 15 

demptlve work of Christianity. If conscientious- 
ness deepens, and if the present tendency to em- 
phasize the value of the higher possessions and 
qualities of life continues, the effect upon evangel- 
ism and upon Christian service will be marked and 
most encouraging. Certainly the whole Church 
of Christ should increase its pressure in this direc- 
tion, for quickened moral sensibility is proof that 
its mission to the world is not in vain, and the con- 
fidence is strengthened that in the end its full aims 
will be realized. 



CHAPTER I 

CHRISTIANITY'S GREATEST PROB- 
LEM 

The conversion of the world is the supreme 
problem of Christianity! It is not the defense of 
truth, for in the end truth may be depended upon 
to take care of itself, and it can never fail. Nor 
does the material prosperity of the Church need to 
be the chief concern. That which has value will 
always bring a price ; moreover, in its poorest days 
the Church has generally grown strong, not only 
in its inner life, but in accessions. The real issue 
is the salvation of mankind, the conquest of the 
evil lusts of humanity, and the transformation of 
the race into the nature and graces of Christ. But 
this is being very, slowly accomplished. Vast popu- 
lations are filling the earth who, living and dying, 
know not God. Throngs of men and women crowd 
the temples of vice in the great cities, giving them- 
selves to self-indulgence and folly. On every side 
are evidences of the ravages of intemperance and 
2 17 



18 Every-Day Evangelism 

licentiousness. The fruits of sin constantly pro- 
duce sorrow and shame. In spite of education 
and science, disease, poverty and pain still curse 
lands which God made fair and which were intended 
to be abodes of purity and joy. The optimist may 
shut his eyes to this, but whenever he opens them 
he receives a shock. However firmly one may 
believe that the world is bettering, he must confess 
the tardiness of the process, and deplore the fact 
that uncounted millions are unsaved. 

The solution of the problem of evangelization 
will not appear less difficult by considering a few 
of the serious hindrances. 

First should be named the decay of faith in the 
great doctrines of the Bible which relate to spiritual 
life and death ; the doctrines of sin ; of a necessary 
atonement as well as pardon for violations of divine 
law; of justification by faith in Christ's redeeming 
love, not of personal merit; of the punishment of 
wickedness and the reward of righteousness ; of the 
eternal profit of goodness and of the everlasting 
destruction of all that is unholy. When men are 
taught such truths as these, being brought to see 
that they are grounded in Scripture and in sound 
judgment, they are likely to act in the direction 
of wisdom and peace. A milk-and-water gospel 
never converts people of strong souls and vigorous 



I 



Christianity's Greatest Problem 19 

passions. It is surely time for teachers of Chris- 
tianity to recognize the fact that soft sayings about 
virtue, the poetic portrayals of a sentimental God 
who loves prayer and praise more than He loves 
righteousness, are not likely to Christianize the 
world. There must be more iron in the blood of 
the Church. She must renew her adherence to the 
teachings of Christ, applying them to the facts 
of the human heart and conduct. She must do 
this with no uncertainty of sound or of soul, for 
as John Stuart Mill said, "One person with a con- 
viction is worth a hundred mere believers." Only 
as the Church and ministry are clear and definite 
in the conviction that God has spoken, that He 
means just what He has said, and that eternal 
destinies depend on our attitude to Him, is it pos- 
sible so to impress the selfish and worldly that they 
will make the surrender of their wills and ways 
which Christianity requires. 

All will admit that the grievous lack of religious 
instruction, both in the modern home and school, 
renders the conversion of youth an ever more diffi- 
cult undertaking. In the deepest matters of life 
parents are the natural teachers of their children. 
No one can replace them or do their work so effect- 
ively. Next to them in opportunity are the edu- 
cators of the public schools, many of whom would 



20 Every-Day Evangelism 

gladly train their pupils in the history if not in 
the ideals of Christianity were it not that unequal 
lawsj imposing upon the children of the vast major- 
ity the will of a free-thinking or sectarian minority, 
forbid their undertaking this task. It is hard to 
see for what sensible reason parents so largely 
neglect the religious needs of their families, but the 
fact is .too general and too evident to be questioned. 
A threefold burden is thus thrown upon the Church 
— to do its own work and to discharge as well the 
highest functions of home and school. It is an 
unfair shifting of responsibility and one whose dis- 
charge is almost if not quite impossible. The 
Church gets so small a portion of the time of young 
people! It deals with large numbers, and with 
other large numbers it gets little chance to work 
at all, at least to the best advantage. The coming 
generation is growing up ignorant of the Bible, 
unaccustomed to the habits and forms of worship, 
and untaught in those ethical and spiritual prin- 
ciples which mold character and which shape con- 
duct unto righteousness. A determined endeavor 
should be made to awaken in home-makers a new 
sense of duty. By pastoral and personal effort 
families without worship should be led to establish 
daily Bible reading and prayer, for in these exer- 
cises, even without more careful instruction, there 



Christianity's Greatest Problem 21 

is in no small degree a Christian education. Equal 
pains should be taken with the schools. It is to 
be noted that so far as the many are concerned, 
the day of training in denominational schools is 
passing. Christianity must capture the day-school 
and the university. Teachers must be taught and 
encouraged to become teachers of Christ. If they 
do their work as Christians wisely, as a rule they 
will suffer no interference. If they should lose a 
position by reason of non-sectarian religious teach- 
ing, they would quickly find another under some 
superintendent better disposed towards the faith. 
The day has come for a sensible effort to Christian- 
ize educational institutions, and to use them as 
factors in world-wide evangelism, and in a truer 
and better nation-making. 

The indifferent and sometimes hostile attitude 
of the modern newspaper is one of the great and 
menacing obstacles to Christianity's advancement. 
The change from individual to corporate owner- 
ship, which has taken place within the last genera- 
tion, has not improved the press, when regarded 
from the ethical standpoint. With honorable ex- 
ceptions, newspapers have become non-moral, if not 
immoral. Columns once free from such iniquities 
now teem with advertisements of various liquors, 
with obscene medical announcements, and with dan- 



22 Every-Day Evangelism 

gerous personals. In some instances nothing is 
refused which will pay the price. What wonder 
that the reading columns of papers so sustained 
contain jibes at temperance and morality, vulgar 
witticisms about the Bible, and more or less open 
and vicious assaults upon reformers, evangelists, 
and pastors. There are some cities in which wide- 
spread revivals have been made impossible, and in 
which the strength of the Church itself is being 
greatly impaired by the artful or coarse opposition 
of the daily papers. The influences back of this 
hostility vary. Sometimes it is the Romanist editor, 
whose anti-Protestant prejudice inspires him to 
write flippant leaders about abnormal and spurious 
religious movements, by inference relating his criti- 
cisms to local undertakings. Sometimes it is the 
immature reporter whose adolescent infidelity is 
permitted to flaunt itself in his accounts of religious 
meetings, and whose animadversions are perhaps the 
more vicious as representing his backslidings from 
the faith of his mother, and from his own early 
experience. Sometimes the press opposition to 
revival movements is inspired by owners of theaters 
and other places of resort whose business is de- 
nounced by evangelists and pastors, and who burn 
to get even. These are but a few of the influences 
back of the antagonisms of the daily paper against 



Christianity's Greatest Problem 23 

religious enterprise. The great cause of all is the 
utter worldliness of the control and management of 
most journals of this sort, causing on the part of 
employees an absence of sympathy for those institu- 
tions whose service to the community is purely 
moral. Christian men of wealth and talent should 
go into the business of making newspapers, not 
with other worldly and impractical notions and pur- 
poses, but to redeem journalism from crass mate- 
rialism and vulgarity, and to engage its vast popu- 
larity and power wholly in the support of the forces 
which have made society as strong and pure as it 
is, and which seek to transform it into ultimate 
harmony with the ideal of God. The daily paper 
is the public's university. More can be done to 
educate and Christianize the world by applying 
money, brains, and principle to the production of 
daily literature than by founding libraries, or in- 
creasing the endowments of colleges. Under 
present conditions such a use of riches and skill 
would be the truest philanthropy. Beautiful as is 
the charity which houses the poor, cares for the 
sick, and maintains the crippled and unfortunate, 
he would be doing men a greater service who sent 
forth into the market-places and homes of the 
people a stream of mental and moral influence, 
clean, wholesome, and elevating. That this good 



24 Every-Day Evangelism 

service is so largely omitted is no slight explana- 
tion of the slow advancement of Christianity. 

The question is sometimes asked if there is not 
room for improvement in religious journalism, 
especially in its relation to the work of soul-saving. 
It must be confessed that there are Church papers 
which give little space to purely religious material 
and almost none to the work of evangelism. There 
are pages of Churchianity and of ecclesiasticism ; 
much attention is given to travel and incident*; con- 
siderable room is taken up with personals and with 
news of offices and honors ; something is said about 
the moral struggles of the time, but little space or 
thought is given to the great question, ^'How to 
save mankind from its sins." In too many cases, 
also, the praise of Church papers is given, not to 
Churches and pastors which are adding members by 
conversion, but to those whose prominence is based 
on quite difFerent considerations. Others, how- 
ever, display interest in ministers who attend to 
their proper calling, putting the whole emphasis 
of their lives upon the work of Christ, and they 
also have a care for the reputation of Churches 
which have enough religious life to bring forth 
their own children and to take good care of them. 
In some journals and elsewhere in religious circles 
there is a new evangelistic note which is not only 



Christianity's Greatest Problem 25 

cheering to weary toilers, but which speaks well for 
the future of Christianity. 

Of course, the inconsistencies and sins of Church 
members hinder the salvation of the world. Every 
one says so, especially the world itself, and the flesh 
and the devil, and in the agreement of many wit- 
nesses there is thought to be truth. But there is 
not so much in this, after all, as there is in the work 
of the world, the flesh, and the devil in the human 
heart. Admitting that many are badly impressed 
and evil disposed to the truth by reason of false 
professions and lying lives, yet no person becomes 
a sinner who is not "drawn away of his own lust 
and enticed." Every man is his own sinner; it is 
that within himself which is his undoing. And 
what an enemy to righteousness and Christianity 
this is, the desire of the fallen mind and heart of 
man! The real foe is within. If we would con- 
quer the world for Christ, we must overcome the 
wickedness of the human heart. This can not be 
done save by presenting in every powerful, impres- 
sive, and attractive way the cross of Calvary, espe- 
cially in lives of love and sacrifice and in earnest 
eff^ort to make conquest for that cross of all its 
opponents. 

The cross of Christ will never conquer the 
world by indiff^erence. "Awake, put on thy 



26 Every-Day Evangelism 

strength, O Zion !" No truer word was ever spoken 
than this — "An anxious Church makes anxious 
souls." Lethargy and lukewarmness in the Church 
are always reflected in the community without, and 
so are religious interest and ardor. Let it be known 
of any Church that it is very much alive, and life 
comes flowing into it. Good, bad, and indiff*erent 
are attracted, the good to help in the good work, 
the bad to be converted to righteous thoughts and 
ways, the indiff^erent to be diff*erent and to act 
accordingly. If this be true of a single Church, 
what if all Churches should be aroused to a condi- 
tion of vital piety, and to the zeal of the crusader? 
Even then the battles of Christianity would not be 
won in a day, or without severe struggles, but there 
would be mighty victories, hastening the final con- 
quest, complete and glorious. 

The irresponsibility of the average Christian 
who believes in the work of the evangelist, but who 
does not see or feel the pressure of his own duty 
in relation to it, is one of the greatest obstacles to 
be overcome. The cooling down of Christianity, so 
evident in the temper of religious literature, in the 
tone of pulpit and prayer-meeting, and in the les- 
sening proportion of time and thought relatively 
given to spiritual matters, is the main cause. But 
there are many who are really willing and even 



Christianity's Greatest Problem 27 

eager to do the work of Christ, who do not know 
just how to go about it. They would quicken others, 
if set at definite tasks. There is need, therefore, 
not only of inspiration, but especially of suggestion 
and direction. Appeals which do not point to 
specific deeds, and which are not accompanied by 
instruction in the arts of Christian helpfulness, 
gradually lose force and fall to the ground. It is 
essential that those who have been doing their work 
too much by themselves become teachers of others, 
both helping them into and in their service by the 
exposition of ways and means. Let it be felt that 
the winning and culture of souls is not the business 
of ministers, missionaries, and evangelists alone, but 
of all Christians. Let it be seen that the work 
with converts is not finished when they are located 
in Church membership, but that for their own as- 
surance and for the growth of the kingdom they 
should be at once enlisted in the ranks of those who 
strive to bring into the faith and keeping of Christ 
their friends and neighbors. Let it be taught that 
while there is truth in the saying, "He also serves 
who only stands and waits," yet no willing idler 
pleases God. 

He who is satisfied with personal salvation, not 
troubling hi^nself about mankind in general, is in 
peril of his own soul, possessing little of the spirit 



28 Every-Day Evangelism 

of Christ. The unfruitful branch shall be cut off 
and cast into the fire. There is a just scorn which 
rests upon one who stands by while others perish. 
Society both condemned and effectually punished a 
man who stood on the banks of a slender stream 
while a golden-haired child drowned before his eyes. 
Not even the plea of inability to swim saved him 
from indignation. He should have made the 
effort, so thought the community. And so should 
every Christian make the effort to win others to 
Christ, and he can plead no defense at all, since the 
endeavor to rescue lost souls from the waves of 
sin and to make them helpers in the work of God 
is in no way dangerous to him who undertakes it, 
but strengthens all the forces of his own life. 



CHAPTER II 
EVANGELISTIC EFFORTS 

Among the just criticisms which have been 
brought against evangelistic efforts, are that they 
have been too often abnormal, partial, and periodic. 
The first of these is of least importance, for who is 
to say what is normal and what is abnormal ? And 
considering the abnormal conditions into which so 
many have been brought by their transgressions of 
the law of righteousness, what proof is there that 
all men can be recovered to virtue and faitli by 
processes which by persons of refinement may be 
termed normal? Rough work requires rough 
handling. Severe sickness demands severe treat- 
ment. In the works of nature there is room for 
tempest as well as for sunshine, for tides, floods, 
and earthquakes, as well as for smooth, mild sea- 
sons. It would be strange, therefore, if there 
should not be place in the operations of Divine 
grace for currents of emotion, for discharges of 
accusation and exhortation with resultant explo- 

29 



30 Every-Day Evangelism 

sions of feeling, which to culture may seem hysteri- 
cal or even hypocritical, but which are the power 
of God encountering and overcoming strong oppo- 
sitions. There is no ministering to elemental 
natures and needs without elemental measures. This 
may be the explanation for the religious attitude 
of a large part of the common people — the Church 
steps in patent leather, uses kid gloves, talks in 
velvet phrases, and invites with dignity. There is 
more than a suspicion on the part of the Church 
itself that its evangelistic efforts are too normal, 
usual, and jflat. There is sometimes a longing for 
the simple worship, plain preaching, and vigorous 
and heartfelt enthusiasm which is more often found 
in backwoods communities and in rescue missions. 
To one who has studied the matter, it is not sur- 
prising to find cultured Christians, when drawn into 
gospel halls. Salvation Army barracks, or McCauley 
missions, profoundly impressed and greatly moved. 
They are thus brought near to nature's throbbing 
heart, to that universal reservoir of feeling in 
which we were all baptized in childhood, and from 
which, if we had never departed, we would find 
in life and in religion more interest and satis- 
faction. 

The charge that evangelism has been fragmen- 
tary and occasional in its character is both true and 



Evangelistic Efforts 31 

serious. The failure of the gospel more swiftly 
to win its way is not to be attributed wholly to 
the difficulties and hindrances before it, but also 
to the incompleteness of its attack. It is a rela- 
tively small number of Christians who are invited 
to assume any definite responsibility in connection 
with this work. In general terms all believers are 
urged from pulpit and platform to help Christian- 
ize the world, but usually obedience to the desire 
or purpose thus created is left to chance, or at 
best to individual initiative. The result is just 
what it would be in any other undertaking — ^busi- 
ness, for example. Persons capable of establish- 
ing a new enterprise or even of profitably directing 
their own energies are relatively few. System is 
needed, and captains of industry benefit the world 
by skillfully adapting various processes of manu- 
facture and distribution of goods to the abilities 
of the masses, and by drawing them into productive 
activity. In Christianity there is too much oratory 
and too little application. He is considered very 
great who can earnestly and pathetically talk 
about work. There are famous preachers, whose 
fervid appeals delight vast audiences at summer 
resorts and elsewhere, who have not by knowledge 
and patience produced in their own fields a work- 
ing plant with the efficiency of a toy windmill. 



32 Every-Day Evangelism 

Noted laymen make powerful speeches at conven- 
tions, who would hardly be recognized if met face 
to face by any actual worker of their home Church. 
The time has not come when Christian leaders 
are measured by results, or when the justice of 
President Eliot's saying is recognized, that to 
arouse emotion without leading it to a suitable 
expression is a sin. This is also the height of 
folly. Suppose a manufacturer should call to- 
gether on Monday morning three or four hundred 
workmen, should give them a carefully wrought 
and able lecture on the value of labor, closing with 
a touching incident or two from the history of the 
world's workers, and with some reference to the 
future rewards of toil, and should then permit 
them to go home, to comment favorably or un- 
favorably upon his address, to eat their dinner 
with a sense of having well discharged their duty, 
but without having been directed to any special 
task, and not to be called together again until 
another speech is ready, perhaps this time upon the 
aesthetic influence of the higher arts, or on the 
esoteric philosophy of Browning. How many 
goods would be turned out of an establishment so 
conducted .f^ What wages would be earned there, 
or what values produced to enrich society? A 
Church conducted on this plan is scarcely more 



Evangelistic Efforts 83 

useful to any practical purpose. Let it not be 
thought that no good is attributed to the mere 
planting of ideas in the minds of hearers, or to the 
kindly offices of unaggressive pastors and societies. 
It is not that there is no good done, but that there 
is no growth, no production of the sway of the 
Church to larger limits, no lengthening of the 
cords of the tent, increasing its inmates to their 
infinite good and to the glory of God. 

There are evangelists to whose credit it should 
be put that they lay considerable emphasis upon 
preliminary work before they conduct a mission. 
They furnish literature, outlining a committee 
scheme, and prescribing useful duties for the many. 
It is the objection that the plan is usually not 
carried out, or at least not until the evangelist's 
arrival is pending. But a deeper fault is that at 
the best the plan is but for a few weeks, to be 
preceded and followed by complete inactivity with 
reference to such duties. 

The Bible-school should be praised for inspir- 
ing its teachers to seek the salvation of their pupils. 
There are college professors and others, who, as a 
rule, are not attendants, who have many severe 
words to say about the Sunday-school as an edu- 
cator. It doubtless is true that there is room for 
improvement in the methods of its Bible teacliing, 



34 Every-Day Evangelism 

but It is the writer's opinion, after years of con- 
stant and intimate acquaintance with the work 
done, that in its proper sphere as a teacher of 
morahty and of Christ, the Sunday-school has no 
equal. If the main object of education be, as 
John Locke said, "Not to make scholars, but to 
produce virtuous and wise men," then it would be 
easy to show that this work is most effectively ac- 
complished by the Church school and not by the 
secular school. Yet it must be admitted that the 
soul-winning efforts of the Sunday-school are too 
much confined to decision days, and to the short 
periods when special evangelistic services are being 
held in the church. Of course, also, there are 
teachers whose hearts are not with the main pur- 
pose of the school, and there seems to be no plan 
for enlisting even the adult pupils in a general 
effort for the school itself or for the community. 
This is a defect which calls for immediate remedy. 
For its virtues and enlightenment the world is 
greatly indebted to revivals of religion. If it 
were within the compass of the present plan, many 
pages might be written setting forth the debt of 
education and of civilization to these great move- 
ments. As for Christianity, it is questionable 
whether it could have survived the constant pres- 
sure of evil from without and from within its in- 



Evangelistic Efforts 35 

stitutions were it not for seasonable renewals of 
its vitality from this source. 

In one view of it the Christian Church is itself a 
revival product. The Crusades, the Reformation, 
Puritanism, Methodism — these are names repre- 
senting influences which the world can never forget. 
In America the New England revival of 1734, and 
the general movement of 1857 are of precious 
memory, as they were gracious in power. Great 
names have been produced by modern revivals, per- 
haps m.ost distinguished of all those of Finney and 
Moody, and in another phase, Henry Drummond. 
No student of religious history can aff*ord to do 
injustice to the records of such men, and still less 
will he find it reasonable to ignore or to underrate 
the importance of the general work in which they 
have been factors. In many periods of Church 
history, revivals have been imperatively necessary, 
which is likely to be the case in the future; and 
they are not to be looked upon as interferences 
with natural law or with the normal progress of 
Christianity, but as being not less vitally a part of 
the Divine plan of saving the world than are more 
ordinary agencies. Nevertheless, revivals of the 
true sort do not occur annually in each Church, say 
beginning the first week of January. They are 
not to be undertaken simply by appointment with 



36 Every-Day Evangelism 

an evangelist six months in advance, and to last 
three weeks, including four Sundays, with a free- 
will offering the last week. Or if they are so 
undertaken, and if the matter is then regarded as 
disposed of for that year, let it not be thought 
surprising if the work be superficial, reactionary, 
and thoroughly disappointing, except to indiffer- 
ence or to easy optimism. 

In general, it should be said that the Church 
which depends upon some one to com.e and fetch 
a revival, or which expects, under the most favor- 
able circumstances, to do its evangelistic work in 
the space of a month or at most of six weeks 
annually, is under a total misapprehension of the 
true laws of increase. Revivals should be longed 
for, prayed for, and expected, but not in lieu of 
regular and sustained labors in the work of teach- 
ing and preaching Christ to the unsaved; rather 
as its result, when this work has been so well done 
that interest in religion has become deep-seated and 
general. It is not that special meetings should 
never be undertaken until this feeling is evident. 
Success has been realized, when to the eye of human 
wisdom it appeared hopeless, but never when there 
had not been earnest prayerful preparation and 
seed sown by some one. Pastors and Churches 
should always be striving and looking toward a 



Evangelistic Efforts 37 

religious crisis and sudden enlargement, but they 
should be relieved of the dismal task of announcing 
this at stated intervals, and of going through the 
forms when there is no readiness for such an ex- 
perience, or likelihood of its occurring. 

Would there were more evangelists like Charles 
G. Finney, who, coming to a city and finding no 
maturity of plans or spirit, would shake off its dust 
from their shoes without attempting ridiculous 
impossibilities. Pastors, too, should have the cour- 
age, and Churchmen the good sense, to work on 
quietly but faithfully until the signals of the Spirit 
of God indicate that the harvest is ripe, and that 
it is time, with or without accessories and assist- 
ants, to gather in its many sheaves. Undesired and 
immature evangelistic campaigns, widely adver- 
tised both in previous boastings and in after bar- 
renness, have deadened the religious life of many 
communities. At cost of the profits of profes- 
sional evangelists, and even of the winnowing out 
of the ranks, let this work stop. It tends to make 
genuine and timely revivals impossible. 

The need of the times is expressed in the title 
of this book. The earnest and able address of 
Bishop Edwin H. Hughes, published in Dr. Brush- 
ingham's book and referred to elsewhere, was given 
the same title, probably a little before the time 



38 Every-Day Evangelism 

when this book began to be prepared. The best 
evangelistic work is that form which enhsts the 
largest number of helpers. Using a synthesis 
of methods, in which all talents and offices are 
recognized and employed, it puts greatest emphasis 
upon personal work. It is strongly urged that 
personal work to be most effective must be sys- 
tematized, giving attention to training in methods 
and leading those who undertake it to co-ordinate 
their efforts, uniting their endeavors in order to 
secure better and quicker results. The idea should 
obtain, moreover, that the evangelistic efforts of 
the Church and of the individual should be con- 
tinuous, knowing no intermittance, carrying their 
loving zeal into all seasons of the year, into all 
localities, including those of temporary residence 
or even of recreation, and throughout life from 
the dawn of Christian existence to its attainment of 
the final well-done, which will be the highest reward 
of every sincere spirit. And it can not be too 
strongly emphasized or too often reiterated that 
it should never be the case that the interest of the 
worker ceases when some formal confession of 
Christ has been obtained. The keeping and the 
using of converts are matters for deep concern. It 
is a poor personal work which stops short of pro- 
ducing an intelligent faith, together with the in- 



Evangelistic Efforts 39 

troductlon of the new believer Into Christian rela- 
tions In which he can both get and do much good. 
One of the most discouraging characteristics of 
modern Church work Is the small proportion of 
non-Chrlstlans In divine services. Who has not 
witnessed some test In a large congregation, reveal- 
ing the fact that scarcely any but believers and 
Church members were present .^^ And there are 
many places where the condition named does not 
change even with the coming of noted revivalists, 
accompanied by famous singers. Our complex life, 
with Its Increasing pre-occupatlon, Is mainly re- 
sponsible for this, no doubt, and. In part, It may 
be the result of past coercions and of divisions 
which caused embarrassment. But whatever rea- 
son may be alleged for ,It, the fact remains that 
when we wish to reach them within the walls of the 
church, the majority of the unsaved and prac- 
tically all of the skeptics are absent. Therefore, 
the absolute necessity of wayside evangelism. "Go 
out quickly Into the streets and lanes of the city." 
"The commission," Rev. W. B. Riley comments on 
this passage,^ "Is just as Incumbent as that of 
evangelizing the world. It Is a question, Indeed, 
whether we shall go gospellzing the public or con- 
tinue to speak only to that small fraction which 

1 " The Perennial Revival," Riley, p. 190. 



40 Every-Day Evangelism 

we can coax within the walls of the church-house. 
We find this statement in the Journal of the 
grand John Wesley : 'I preached near the hospital 
to twice the people we should have had at the 
house. What marvel that the devil does not like 
field preaching! Neither do I! I like a commo- 
dious room, a soft cushion, a handsome pulpit. But 
where is my zeal, if I do not trample all these 
under foot, in order to save one more soul?" Dr. 
Riley urges street preaching, and well describes the 
misery of the street and the need of this kind of 
evangelism. But the opportunity and necessity of 
the one by one method of access to people who do 
not attend Church are even more imperative. 

The early Methodists — John Wesley, White- 
field, Asbury, and the other great leaders were 
copied in this by their helpers and by hundreds of 
the laity — were preachers by the wayside to single 
individuals. Much of their best work was done in 
this way, and the early records of Methodism are 
full of accounts, amusing sometimes, and at other 
times inspiring or pathetic, of the conversations 
which took place between these indefatigable win- 
ners of men, and those whom they met in their 
travels and visits. When one allows for differences 
of times and of circumstances, there seems a direct 
correspondence between these experiences and 



Evangelistic Efforts 41 

those of many of the reformers, of the followers of 
Wickliffe and of the early Franciscans and their 
devout leader. And surely Paul and Barnabas, 
Peter and Timothy, and the other first Christians, 
set the example of an every-day, everywhere evan- 
gelism which caught its spirit and method from 
Him who talked with the woman at the well-curb, 
who called Zacchasus out of the tree, who went 
after Matthew at the tax office, and who took Peter 
and John from their fishers' nets. 

There Is something about the phrase, "Back to 
Christ," which always displeases me, for I do not 
think that Christ is "back" in place, in time, or In 
anything. But there Is, after all, a meaning In 
this expression which we can not get away from; 
we need to get back from the spirit and methods 
which are not Christlike to the place where Jesus 
leads His people to successful conquests. He Is 
to-day, as He has ever been, the Christ of men. He 
calls us to seek His lost sheep, to "go out Into the 
highways and hedges and compehthem to come In." 
This Is His leading, and If we earnestly wish to 
bring the world about us to Christ, as Howard A. 
Bridgman says:"" "We must solicit men one by 
one. There Is no other way. We may talk to the 

2 Quoted from article In Independent^ November 3, 1898, by 
S. M. Sayford, In " Personal Work." 



42 Every-Day Evangelism 

end of the century about methods and about the 
problem. But it may be time to act on the prin- 
ciple which governed the profound Squeers in the 
conduct of his school, when a boy knows a thing, he 
goes and does it ! We ought to know personally 
some of the persons in regard to whom we theorize 
so much — and if the Church of Christ means any- 
thing to us, then let us go out after other men. 
Given sufBcient tact and persistence, we shall find 
some way to induce them to cast their lot with 
God's people!" 



CHAPTER III 
CONTINUOUS EVANGELISM 

It may strike some one, even with the force of 
originaHty, to be told that in very few Churches is 
there a membership department. That this should 
be true seems little short of marvelous, when it is 
remembered that the whole life and future of each 
Church depends upon the repair of losses in the 
ranks of adherents and workers. Other religious 
and many secular societies have definite and even 
elaborate plans for self -renewal and strengthening, 
but the Church usually depends upon the religious 
initiative of the outsider, save for the influence 
exerted by the pastor and the spontaneous eff^orts 
of a few. The wonder, therefore, is not that the 
numerical gains of Christianity are not greater, 
but that there is not rapid depletion of the ranks. 
Defections are constant, due often to removal from 
one place to another, but more frequently the result 
of inactivity, with consequent loss of interest. 
There is no organization to seek and to follow up 
new members, or to aid in their adjustment to the 
life and work of the Church. The tide incoming 

43 



44 Every-Day Evangelism 

is fortunately a little greater than the tide out- 
going. This is true throughout the land gener- 
ally. But the losses may be greatly lessened, and 
at the same time the gains of each Church may be 
increased by a well devised plan of continuous 
evangelism and watch care. 

To say that evangelism should be continuous 
is not to say that it is to be made monotonous. 
There have been not a few instances of threadbare 
and frayed-out gospeling, which, in addition to 
failing utterly, have wearied, if not disgusted, sen- 
sible people. The work of winning souls is not to 
be constantly cried with the persistence and same- 
ness of a fish-wife. The invitation to seek religion 
is not with tedious reiteration to be formally pro- 
posed at all services of the congregation or in all 
social circles. The best things in the world may 
be made too familiar and too cheap. Patriotism 
would become a jest if Fourth of July orations 
were delivered daily. Love grows cold if prated 
constantly, as truly as when it is never spoken. 
Churches have starved in soul when treated to an 
unvaried diet of exhortation without instruction. 
I have known the same Church to have three drawn- 
out and practically unsuccessful series of revival 
meetings in the same year, and the personal work 
of well-meaning individuals has been known to be 



Continuous Evangelism 45 

as senseless and useless. Conducted, if with sin- 
cerity, yet without intelligence, evangelization has 
been done to death; not as often as it has been 
wholly neglected, but frequently enough. 

Yet there is no work capable of being made so 
thrilling in its interest or so powerful in its hold 
upon the mind. It will be said that what is needed 
to redeem the undertaking from sameness and 
weakness is spiritual power. Doubtless! But the 
power of the Holy Spirit, like the so-called natural 
forces, which are but so many expressions of the 
divine energy, is to be applied by consecrated 
knowledge, and without doubt our real need is 
often that expressed by the dark-hued philosopher 
who informed a tedious brother, clamoring for 
power, that his need was not more power, but more 
ideas. Let no one bring the accusation that this 
is exalting the human and belittling the divine ele- 
ments in the work of redemption. It is merely 
demanding that men stand up and do their own 
thinking as well as working for the salvation of the 
race. 

Every-day evangelism is an ideal. There is 
also a method. Rather as has been suggested, 
there may be a wise combination and interchange 
of all good methods, which systematized and 
adapted to local conditions and needs, will make it 



46 Every-Day Evangelism 

possible to project the work of teaching and of 
conversion tliroughout the entire year and every 
year, and this without diminution, but with increas- 
ing interest. 

The following plan of enlisting and educating 
a permanent force of Christians who will take up 
the duties of continuous evangelism has been em- 
ployed with such degree of success, as inspires con- 
fidence that it is worth while and worthy of recom- 
mendation to those who have not tried it. It is 
offered as suggestive, not as being complete in 
detail. The best features of the plan are that it 
may be used in any parish, large or small, in city 
or country ; it may be undertaken by an unlimited 
force of workers or by two ; it comprises study and 
instruction as well as inspiration; it throws the 
Christian work of the Church upon its own shoul- 
ders and resources ; it develops the abilities of many 
new workers, preparing them for Church offices, 
and leading some to think of giving their lives to 
any service for which God may call them. The 
plan is much like that of the Master in His deal- 
ings with the Apostolic company, and with the 
seventy. All of its parts have assured Scriptural 
warrant. There is in its working excellent prep- 
aration for more general and widespread religious 
movements which may visit the locality. The ele- 



Continuous Evangelism 47 

ment of expense is inconsiderable, but the execu- 
tion of this plan is not without cost. Large ex- 
penditures of thought and labor must be made if 
the highest possibilities are to be realized. The 
years during which it has been tried have but in- 
creased the conviction of its importance, and have 
left the impression that with the experience gained, 
it can be far better done in the future. 

Before the rush season of Church work is on, 
select a number of persons who are either good 
personal workers, or who are willing to consider 
becoming such. Any number may be used in this 
company. No person, by virtue of his position or 
otherwise, should be made to feel that he is coerced 
into membership. In every way and under all cir- 
cumstances, this undertaking should seem to the 
whole Church, and especially to those actively 
related to it, to be without pressure, a free-will and 
loving service. Some should, if possible, be in- 
duced to co-operate with a view, not alone to 
present abilities, but to future helpfulness. The 
training school idea should not be lost sight of in 
the personnel. If of considerable size, the commit- 
tee may be divided into pairs or groups. If the 
division is into groups, let there be a leader elected 
or appointed for each group. All members should 
meet at regular seasons, perhaps once a month, and 



48 Every-Day Evangelism 

the smaller groups as often as the leaders and 
members may desire. In the regular meetings of 
the committee let there be three exercises from the 
first. Always have prayer for the conversion of the 
unsaved, and for the strengthening of the whole 
work of the Church. As Spurgeon said : "Prayer 
and means must go together. Means without 
prayer — presumption ! Prayer without means — 
hypocrisy!"^ There should, also, be lectures and 
studies upon the theme of personal work, and the 
formation and maturing of plans for the actual 
duties proposed, with reports and discussions of the 
same, keeping pace with the development of the 
enterprise. 

The prayer service should be neither formal 
nor careless. It need not be lengthy, but it should 
always be heartfelt. A number of brief petitions 
by members of the company will prove more inspir- 
ing and effective than one or two long supplica- 
tions, however ably offered. 

Hints as to the nature of the studies and ad- 
dresses likely to be helpful are given elsewhere. In 
reports and discussions, unnecessary personalities 
are to be avoided. When more intimate councils 
are needed, they should take place between the 
leaders and individual members or in the smaller 



i"Tlie Soul Winner," p. 148. 



Continuous Evangelism 49 

groups. From the outset, work is to be done. The 
idea should not be permitted to obtain that a course 
of training is to be received, after which practical 
use will be made of the knowledge gained. Instruc- 
tion is helpful, but wisdom is attained more rapidly 
by doing things. In all Christian endeavor, study 
and labor should go hand in hand. If this is con- 
tinued but for a single year, part, at least, of the 
committee will have grown stronger in love for 
Christ, and in ability to serve Him, while there 
can not fail to have been some definite results in 
conversions and accessions to the Church. 

The plan is by no means complete with the 
above general outline of its organization and 
meetings. It proposes a better advertising of the 
services of the Church; the use of literature, not 
only by the workers themselves, but in the whole 
society and vicinity. The representatives of various 
Church departments, the Sunday-school, young 
people's societies, brotherhoods, and missionary or- 
ganizations, are to secure co-operation in the gen- 
eral effort on the part of these agencies. There is 
a necessary assistance from the pulpit and in the 
public services of the Church, without which the 
outcome will be unsatisfactory. It will be seen that 
in this plan there is room for all persons who really 
wish to devote their powers to Christian work. 
4 



50 Every-Day Evangelism 

Every temperament and type of personality be- 
comes usable. There is constant provision for emer- 
gencies which may arise in the cultivation of the 
field, some one to whom to refer special cases of 
religious need, or a whole force instantly ready for 
a forward movement. A nucleus of thoughtful 
helpers is created, which will be an increasing aid 
and comfort to the pastor as its knowledge and 
experience extends. The reproach that the Church 
is doing nothing will have less basis in truth, and 
the Church member who justifies his inactivity by 
saying, "No man hath hired me," will be found 
without excuse for idleness. 

There is nothing about this work to require it 
to be brought to an end and cease. From year 
to year and all the year round loss of workers may 
be repaired, and with a little variety in the teach- 
ing and with constantly new plans, the work may 
go on without a break. General meetings may be 
omitted during July and August, or they may be 
held, but the actual service may be continued as 
usual with perhaps greater freedom of time and 
opportunity. From year to year fellowships will 
be formed through the delightful associations of 
co-operative work of this kind, which will be closer 
and more powerful in their influence than ordinary 
Christian relationships. In all that is done there 



Continuous Evangelism 51 

will also be the gratification which comes to those 
who espouse a great cause, and who have the con- 
sciousness that the labor has been worth the sacri- 
fice, and that they have had some part, however 
small, in the triumph which has been secured in all 
ages and lands by those similarly engaged. 

In the operation of this type of evangelistic 
effort, it is not necessary to advertise publicly what 
is being done. No banner need be placed on the 
Church front, or notice given to the newspapers. 
The general congregation need not be informed of 
the purposes and methods involved. There is 
nothing to be gained and much may be lost by the 
blowing of trumpets. Indeed, this is a frequent 
cause of failure in Christian work of every kind. 
The public has no right to an exposition of all 
that is planned and hoped for, as nothing is in- 
tended which is beyond the province of the Church 
in its greatest responsibility. 

A name may be chosen like "The Forward 
Movement," "The Special Committee," "The 
Worker's Band," "The Training Class," "The Ex- 
tension Committee," or the "Membership Circle," 
which does not convey to the mind the idea of the 
full propaganda intended. The more expressive 
name, "Membership Department," will be preferred 
by many, as stating exactly what is proposed with- 



52 Every-Day Evangelism 

out conveying sufficient information as to details 
as to cause embarrassment. 

As there are no boasts of what is to be done, 
there can be no failure ; everything accomplished is 
clear gain. The unconverted, hearing little or 
nothing of a general plan for their capture, are 
not put on the defensive, with guards up, as is too 
often the case when other methods are employed. 
The members of the committee may be impressed 
with the thought that not so much by numbers 
reached as by efforts made is the movement to be 
judged. With these precautions at the beginning 
and with absence throughout, both of secrecy and 
of unwise publication of intentions and results, it is 
certain that any faithful use of this scheme of con- 
tinuous evangelism will be as helpful elsewhere as 
it has been found to be in the places where it has 
been prosecuted. 

What is there against such an effort to Chris- 
tianize the irreligious and to awaken the devotion of 
Church members whose condition is a constant re- 
proach? Let it not be said that this work is unwise. 
Dr. Stewart truly remarks, "We can not save the 
world by a committee."^ But we can save the com- 
mittee. And those whom we can get into a body 
for this purpose we can teach the principles of 
successful individual work, and inspire them to go 
2 "The Great Commission," Wentworth F. Stewart, p. 66. 



Continuous Evangelism 53 

about it. What objection then? Is it that it is 
too much trouble? But our own salvation is at 
the cost of infinite pains. That there is not time 
for it on account of secular duties and even because 
of the many other Church engagements ? Is this a 
just excuse? Are we not wasting more hours than 
this work requires on trivial employments and pleas- 
ures? And if the social life of the Church or any 
other form of its activities prevents a fitting re- 
sponse to the most sacred of its opportunities and 
obligations, ought there not to be some reform in 
its management, or at least in the degree of our co- 
operation in all of its affairs, lest there seem to be 
justification for the somewhat pessimistic utterances 
with which a few years since a prominent English 
preacher and lecturer bombarded us on closing an 
engagement in this country and leaving for his 
own land. 

"The American Church," said he, "does not 
seem to be much more than a social organization 
now. Its members spend more time developing 
along social lines than they do along spiritual lines. 
The old fire and the old-time spirit are lacking."' 
There is a reply which might be made to such 
sweeping statements, aside from the suggestion that 
travelers rarely come in intimate enough contact 
with the land they visit to judge of its inner and 
3 G. Campbell Morgan, D. D., as reported. 



54 Every-Day Evangelism 

real spirit, and that foreign speakers are usually 
not heard by the more spiritual and aggressive 
congregations. Nevertheless, it would be idle to 
deny the fact that there is need in the American 
Church, and we doubt not in the Church Universal, 
of less social life for its own sake, and of more for 
the sake of winning souls, and in general there 
should be a revival of the conviction that the 
supreme work of Christianity is to save the world, 
and that no Church deserves praise or justifies its 
cost in coin and care which is not engaged in this 
great business. And the ideal for every company 
of Christians should be the Model Church of the 
apostolic period, which, though we know that it 
was by no means faultless, nevertheless as to its zeal 
and success was truly described by Dr. T. L. Cuyler 
in these words : ^'They did not need to be revived, 
for they kept up to blood-heat all the while. Con- 
versions took place daily. In the family record of 
that Church the column of ^births' was better filled 
than the columns of 'desertions,' or of 'deaths.' " 
"We do n't wonder," is the comment, "that such 
wide-awake Christians praised God and found 
favor with all the people. The Holy Spirit has not 
changed; human nature has not changed; the 
promises have not changed, and now, in the name of 
common sense, we ask, why should there not be 



Continuous Evangelism 55 

thousands of just such Churches as that all over 
this country?" Why, Indeed? Simply that our 
minds are too much engrossed with material pur- 
suits ; we are absorbed in the thought of the treas- 
ures and pleasures of time and sense ; we are giving 
but half-hearted recognition, and but a fraction of 
our energies to the acquisition of eternal profits 
and to the joyful service of the kingdom of Christ. 
It has been said that primitive and apostolic 
Christianity was an offense to an indifferent age. 
Very likely it would be so to many communities in 
the present age, yet it could not be ignored and 
would win its way now as certainly as in each age 
and place where it has been known. It is not to 
any servile copying of forms or imitation of spirit 
the need points. It is life which is wanted, and the 
drum-beat of advance. The spirit which makes the 
Church powerful is the same throughout all ages, 
and it impels to progress. And unless there be ad- 
vancement there is death. "The army that remains 
in the trenches is beaten," says a mihtary expert, 
and this is certainly true of the Church of Christ. 
It must do or die. It must go forward or its sol- 
diers become weak and cowardly. But if the charge 
be sounded and the conflict pressed, the God of 
battles may be relied upon to give the victory and 
to multiply the spoils. 



CHAPTER IV 

ORGANIZATION FOR PERSONAL 
WORK 

The plan before us is really a proposition to 
organize, train, and use in each Church a corps of 
personal workers whose business it shall be to in- 
crease, by conversion, the number of members, and 
so far as possible to strengthen in character and in 
good works the whole fellowship. 

The word organization is often the signal for 
an outburst of invective against Church machinery 
and formalism. The thought which inspires this 
protest is not always, but may be, simply an ostrich- 
refuge of laziness or inefficiency. Nothing hap- 
pens without organization. The very air we 
breathe is a product of combined gases, whose mar- 
shaled atoms are harnessed by the sun, driven by 
the winds, and perfumed by the flowers of every 
clime. Light, heat, and electricity are products of 
organization, and so is society and man himself. 
All the great undertakings of the human mind, our 

56 



Personal Work 57 

philosophies, sciences, arts, even our religion, are 
fruits of the instinct which seeks not simply ele- 
ments, but relationships and their effects. Not to 
organize is not to do anything ; in business, in gov- 
ernment, or in the Church. As a rule, the better 
organization, the greater if not the better product. 
Many a Church is decaying while its daily prayer 
is for strength. There is power a plenty, but we 
poorly apply it. We make steam-engines so imper- 
fectly that at best they use but three per cent of 
the energy which is locked up in coal. Not ten 
per cent of electrical power is applied to the world's 
work by our best devices. And as to the potency of 
Church memberships, not one per cent is being made 
active through the ordinary channels of efficiency. 
What, then, may not be said of the infinite energy 
of the Holy Spirit, awaiting the hour of a more 
complete consecration of human possessions and 
agencies to work miracles of grace beyond our 
present dreams? Useless organizations are, of 
course, to be condemned; and should be destroyed, 
especially if they threaten the whole body with 
appendicitis. But it is a mistake to suppose that 
the presence in a Church of several half-dead or- 
ganizations is proof that no new or more perfect 
relation of individuals and forces is needed. It is 
likely that the very thing required in order to 



58 Every-Day Evangelism 

new life In all parts of the work, is a combination 
of members, however few at the start, for tlie real 
business of Christianity, praying, preaching, and 
loving others into that knowledge which is life 
eternal. 

Having considerable material to work with, I 
have used from seventy-five to one hundred as the 
number of workers in the membership department. 
A larger number could be employed, and as it has 
often been suggested, the same kind of work may 
be done by ten persons or by two. Two methods 
of selection have been tried. The pastor has chosen 
the whole committee, in part, with reference to 
fitness for such work, and also with a view to the 
representation of all ages and Church departments, 
not forgetting the development of new material. 
Another way was to request the heads of the various 
boards and societies of the Church to name a num- 
ber of their members for this movement, taking 
care to divide up a large enough total between the 
various organizations, so that after duplicate names 
were eliminated the desired number would result. 
Both plans worked well. Probably the last-named 
may, by some, be thought more advisable as secur- 
ing the interest of the societies represented, and 
perhaps, also, as relieving the pastor of the respon- 
sibility of making a choice, but experience may lead 



Personal Work 59 

to the former method as insuring better quality and 
faithfulness. At least at first a definite number is 
better than an indefinite number, and general invi- 
tations to co-operate do not compare either for total 
secured or for quality with the results of selection. 
A little honor implied in the appointment will not 
necessarily injure the spirit of interest in the enter- 
prise or vitiate its higher motives. The consent of 
each member to serve should certainly be obtained. 
Willingness to co-operate may be further tested and 
confirmed by a letter setting forth the nature of the 
movement, and requesting a reply in form. 

In order to save time, the whole committee 
should be divided into smaller groups before the 
general meeting is called. Indeed, the best practice 
is to have all details of organization wrought out 
in advance, and thus the actual work can begin with 
the very first meeting. If the members chosen are 
of the right type, they will be glad to be relieved 
of the usual operations attendant upon the launch- 
ing of new movements, and will be pleased to accept 
the whole scheme, including the naming of officers 
and leaders as a matter of pastoral appointment, 
thus getting to the business in hand with no loss of 
time or strength. 

Groups of ten have worked quite satisfactorily, 
but the chief difficulty has been to get the many 



60 Every-Day Evangelism 

leaders thus required for a large department, and 
to have all of them persons able to grasp the prin- 
ciples of the undertaking and to apply them in- 
telligently. It is better to have a few groups well- 
ofRcered by those whose wisdom, consecration, and 
constant fidelity to all duties and meetings is 
assured. It is poor policy, unless unavoidable, to 
permit groups to choose their own leader. Better 
build the organization about the leaders, than the 
leaders out of the organization. After trying, 
during successive seasons, various group plans and 
types of management, the following has proved 
emimently satisfactory : 

Officers. 
President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer. 

Groups. 

Four groups of twenty or more members each. 
Of course, smaller groups will be used in Churches 
where material is not abundant. All groups are 
supposed to interest themselves in personal work 
generally, and each group has special work as- 
signed to its care, in which, as may easily be seen, 
various talents and degrees of preparation to serve 
may be utilized. 



Personal Work 61 

Group I. 
Special Work. 

Personal work with strangers. 

Invitation to Church services. 

Securing Church letters. 

Increasing numbers at and influence of prayer 
and class-meetings. 

Group II. 
Special Work. 

Getting Sunday-school members into the 
Church. 

Personal work with parents of Sunday-school 
children. 

Visiting those who join on profession of faith, 
and encouraging them. 

Securing candidates for baptism. 

Group III. 
Special Work. 

Personal work with inmates of hospitals and 
other institutions. 

Circulating Christian literature. 

Visiting sick members of the Church. 

Writing letters of encouragement and sym- 
pathy. 

Securing new members for the Sunday-school. 



62 Every-Day Evangelism 

Group IV. 
Special Work. 

Visitation of new members. 

Social welcome to Church attendants. 

Enlisting members in active work. 

Personal work with careless and back-slidden 
members. 

Improvements may easily be made in all of the 
arrangements above proposed, and suggestions 
from all sides should be welcomed. The better 
thought out, the better wrought out is every un- 
dertaking. 

At the monthly meetings all the groups com- 
bine. In Churches of busy people, especially in 
down-town Churches, it is well to have a simple 
supper together at 6 or 6 :30 o'clock, and to follow 
at once with the business, closing by eight or a little 
later. The expense may be met by a voluntary col- 
lection, supplemented, if necessary, by the subscrip- 
tions of a few who are well able and very willing 
to make them. When the meeting begins, first comes 
prayer ; as has been suggested, not a formal prayer, 
but a short season of earnest recognition of the 
leadership of the Spirit, and of supplication for the 
wisdom which cometh from above. Then, perhaps, 
half of the time will be occupied with the lecture 



Personal Work 63 

or study of the theme of personal work, given by 
the pastor or by a person selected by him. Bibles 
will, of course, be at hand, and tablets and pencils 
should be provided so that when it would be valu- 
able to do so, all present may take and preserve 
notes. After the address, which should always be 
both inspirational and practical, with many hints 
of method, brief reports may be read or delivered 
verbally by the group leaders. As far as possible, 
written reports should be the rule, so that records 
may be preserved and the accounts of work made 
definite. Some part of the time will be used, as 
thought wise, in introducing and managing 
schemes of practical work. 

While it is the determination to reach unsaved 
persons, not a little attention should be paid by the 
workers to the gathering in of old Church letters. 
It is often a greater benefit to the community to 
reach a half or wholly back-slidden Church member, 
getting him again into communion, than to secure 
a new convert. Nothing retards the cause of 
Christ more effectually than irreligion, cynicism, or 
even evident neglect of duty on the part of those 
who are known to have once been active in Chris- 
tian professions and services. This class constitutes 
a standing reproach to Christianity, and with some 
it is an argument against its value and power. By 



64 Every-Day Evangelism 

all means, therefore, it should be held to be a profit- 
able undertaking to seek out and to draw back into 
Church fellowship those who have drifted away. 

In order that no part of the above outline of 
procedure in the general meeting may be forgotten, 
the president of the department has in his hand the 
following order of exercises, which is conducted 
after the supper and free-will collection: 

Order. 



I. 


Hymn, all standing. 


II. 


Short prayers, members standing or 




kneeling. 


III. 


Roll call. 


IV. 


Minutes, with brief review of address 




and reports given at last meeting. 


V. 


Instruction period. 


VI. 


Reports of Group leaders. 


VII. 


Business — 




Treasurer's Report. 




Suggestions, or Question Box. 




Vote of thanks to those arranging 




for supper. 


VIII. 


Prayer. 


IX. 


Hymn. 


X. 


Adjournment, followed by brief group 




meetings. 



Personal Work 65 

It win be well to take considerable pains with 
the selection and training of the leaders of the com- 
mittee and of the groups. If they are deeply- 
spiritual, and at the same time able and popular, 
they will create much enthusiasm. It may be 
thought wise to use assistant pastors, deaconesses, 
elders, and deacons, local preachers, and class lead- 
ers for these positions. This is very well, if they 
happen to be the right persons. If not, they 
should not be chosen. Indeed, it is probably better 
from the start to confine leadership to no class of 
officials, but to select those specially adapted. It 
is desirable that the pastor should sometimes call 
the leaders together, question them about their as- 
sociates, their plans, and the difficulties met, and 
kindred matters, both requesting suggestions and 
making them freely. There will be no need of 
reticence in this small circle, and much good will 
result from the plain discussion of causes of success 
and of failure. In large Churches it would prob- 
ably be as well, from year to year, to change lead- 
ers, that as many as possible may receive the 
benefit of the responsibility and experience Involved 
in the position. Books may be placed in the hands 
of leaders, which all members of the committee 
would not purchase or take the trouble to read. No 
effort or expense should be spared by which some, at 
5 



66 Every-Day Evangelism 

least, of the Church, may become educated and 
expert leaders of personal work. 

It will, of course, be the aim to get as large a 
number of the members of the department as pos- 
sible to commit themselves to a life service of the 
kind taught, so that as successive companies pass 
through the training they will go out to recruit an 
army of disciplined individual evangelists, who 
will carry the work to other places and into the 
years. 

In order to keep up esprit de corps, the pastor 
should, sometimes, formally review the w^ork under- 
taken and accomplished, being careful to give credit 
where it is due, and encouraging the weakest mem- 
bers to believe that their labors have not been in 
vain. An earnest outsider may often be brought 
into the meeting, to listen to the proceedings, and, 
becoming enthused, to make a brief address of con- 
gratulation and good cheer. To any convention 
which gives promise of dealing helpfully with the 
topic of evangelism, delegates may be sent to bring 
back good thoughts, or if nothing new or useful is 
said, to report that the local workers are up to the 
best Instructions which have been given. If good 
articles on the subject of personal work appear in 
Church papers, the attention of the committee 
should be called to these, or, better still, an excep- 



Personal Work 67 

tionally able or spiritual treatment of this theme 
may be read to the committee, at least in part. Very 
occasionally some paragraph or section from one of 
the books elsewhere referred to may be introduced 
in the instructions given, but it should be remem- 
bered that a majority of people do not care to listen 
to reading unless the material be very much to the 
point, bright and brief. 

The membership department offers a splendid 
nucleus for the promotion of revival enterprises, or 
for planning the conservation of results of such 
undertakings originating elsewhere. I have used 
such workers in meeting the responsibilities and 
opportunities of two general campaigns; one con- 
ducted by Dr. Chapman and the other by Dr. 
Torrey. In each case no Church, not in some way 
similarly organized to secure them, received into 
membership anything like as many of the persons 
influenced. There was a warm spirit, a ready visi- 
tation of new people, and a hearty welcome which 
proved to be very attractive. The committee was 
also in training to help make permanent the hold 
obtained upon the new members. 

It is easy to see how this organization may be 
used in the Sunday night service, and at any time 
when the pastor is making a special effort to reach 
his unsaved hearers with the gospel invitation. 



68 Every-Day Evangelism 

Where this work is extended for a considerable 
period, the committee may be called out, for ex- 
ample, a fourth or a half at a time. The workers 
may be placed in special seats, armed with cards of 
declaration of faith. When asked to do so, they 
may distribute these, pencils also being given, if not 
already in the seats. The workers may be directed 
to take note of any persons who arose for prayers, 
or who gave any other sign of interest, at the close 
of the service speaking with them and getting the 
name and address. If not assigned any specific 
duty, the members may be instructed to be present, 
to pray for the pastor, to lea-d any movement he 
may suggest — ^testimony, singing, or coming to the 
altar, to watch for souls ; and if an after-meeting is 
held, to invite others to remain. If by any method 
names of persons who need help have been gathered, 
or if the pastor has some new plan to suggest, it is 
easy to say : "The company, circle, committee, de- 
partment," or whatever name is used, "will remain 
for a few moments' consultation." Lacking such a 
definite group, the pastor often fails to receive as- 
sistance when it is most needed. Even in the pres- 
ence of a great opportunity, he has no one 
whom he can certainly depend upon to carry out 
the hopeful plan which may have been quite un- 
expectedly brought to his mind. 



Personal Work 69 

Two essentials of the successful management 
of any organization should be emphasized before 
this side of the work passes from thought : it should 
be arranged that no person in the whole movement 
be without some definite service to render, if it be 
no more than to furnish names, or to carry to a 
specific place a card of invitation; and every care 
should also be taken that the importance and value 
to the work of each individual should not only be 
made known at the beginning, but be kept ever 
before the minds of the entire membership. If these 
points are not observed, there will be desertions 
through loss of interest. One who does nothing 
cares nothing. He who is charged with no duty is 
appointed to backslide. Give me my task and I 
will do it, is the cry of each honest heart. To 
persons of honor, there is little satisfaction in being 
a figurehead, even in good company, and there is 
more noblesse oblige, even in ordinary minds, than 
most people imagine. 

It is a great matter to keep constantly in view 
the truth that the work of evangelism is most 
worthy in its motives and splendid in its possibili- 
ties and achievements. "All true work," says 
Carlyle, "is sacred; in all true work, were it but 
true hand labor, there is something of divineness." 
But the work which we are discussing is altogether 



70 Every-Day Evangelism 

divine. God inspires it, directs it, does it, through 
those who are wiUing to be His instruments. ^'Life 
from above," which is the only result of value 
coming out of soul-winning efforts, is the gift of 
God. This is His work alone. We have no share 
in this. But in producing the crisis which leads the 
new believer to have faith in this divine gift and 
to accept it, and in bringing back to life those who 
have been almost drowned in the cares and sins of 
the world, we have our part, and this is a useful 
service, or God would not accept it and make it 
fruitful, as He so evidently does. And, behold the 
event ; a new creation of God ! A life, heaven-born, 
heaven-bound; a whole world of new experiences 
and joys, a new career of profit and of Christian 
service, an immortal soul, saved to all that is richest 
and best, now and forever ! Is not this worth the 
most costly effort.? Is it not reward enough for 
prayer and painstaking.? Can any wonder that 
Thomas Guthrie exclaimed : "This salvation about 
which many are so strangely careless, is the great 
work that has engaged God from the counsels of 
eternity, and shall engage Him to the end of time. 
And how should men labor for an end that is of 
such value in God's eyes ! To be saved and sancti- 
fied ourselves, and to be also the instruments of 
saving others — of plucking brands from the burn- 



Personal Work 71 

ing, this Is especially and emphatically the work of 
the Lord, one in which men are called to be fellow- 
workers with God — ^the true business of their life, 
in which they are to abound in all circumstances 
and seasons?" Is it more than the truth which 
Spurgeon has uttered : "When we endeavor to lead 
men to God, we pursue a business far more profit- 
able than the pearl-fishers' diving or the diamond- 
hunters' searching. No pursuit of mortal men is 
to be compared with that of soul-winning. I know 
what I say when I bid you think of it as men think 
of entering the cabinet of the nation, or occupying 
a throne; it is a royal business and they are true 
kings who follow it successfully." 



CHAPTER V 
PASTORAL LEADERSHIP 

The pastor's place in evangelism is at the 
center. The pulpit which he occupies may be made 
a power to move the hearts of men toward Christ 
and His work. This is the great business of the 
pulpit, beside which all else it may do sinks into 
slight and transient significance, being at best but 
of temporal value. It has already been said that 
the wise preacher will not unvaringly address to his 
congregation so-called evangelistic sermons, but he 
will never lose sight of the fact that a genuine and 
competent ministry includes a definite and sustained 
attack upon the unbelieving and sinful human will. 

"How far do your chief American preachers 
aim at the conversion of souls?" one of the greatest 
of modern English preachers asked a friend from 
across the ocean. In the answer to this question 
lies the minister's success or failure. 

The one great aim may be prosecuted in many 
ways and by many means. In seeking to capture 

72 



Pastoral Leadership 73 

a fortress, assault may be tried, but if It fails there 
are mining, strategy, and various types of siege. 
In the last analysis, all truth, however presented, 
is evangelism, and tends Godward, but in seeking 
to reach and to transform that most recondite and 
difficult of citadels, Mansoul, he errs who goes too 
far from the center for his teaching. 

It is said that a Methodist preacher in Nebraska 
discoursed to his people on "The Power and Pathos 
of Music in the Realm of the Human Soul," using 
as his principal material memories of Mendelssohn. 
The same writer who announces this, speaks of 
another minister whose sermon was on "The Sani- 
tary Effects of Sleep," but he does not say whether 
or not there were examples present. A sermon on 
"Public Baths," preached in another city, may 
have been of physical if not of spiritual impor- 
tance. "A Trip to Washington," "The New 
Japan," and "What Is Taking Place in Bulgaria 
and Turkey," were other offerings from the same 
Congregational pulpit. A friend informed me that 
he attended a Methodist Church, where he listened 
to a sermon and three prayers, including the invo- 
cation. The name of Christ was mentioned once 
in the sermon, and not at all in the prayers. The 
secretary of one of the great Presbyterian Boards, 
in an address before theological graduates, said, 



74 Every-Day Evangelism 

"Some Presbyterians are yielding to the demand 
for an enriched service, with such loads of music 
and millinery as to crowd the sermon into an ig- 
nominious corner." He also refers to "the three 
notes of oratory, rationalism, and culture, struck by 
the best known pulpit in America for the past fifty 
years."^ These are but a few illustrations of drift, 
showing how far from the direct course they may 
go who do not keep ever before them the one great 
purpose of the Christian ministry. Such preachers 
are not leaders of every-day evangelism. There 
may be for a time a numerical increase in their 
Churches, occasioned by novelty, by social induce- 
ments, or even by the very absence of religious 
earnestness. In periods of laxity, worldly Churches 
prosper by accessions from the stricter denomina- 
tions and from the ease-loving public. This is one 
of the trials of faith and of the courage of the 
faithful. In the end it becomes evident that they 
who seek not the regeneration of their hearers are 
blind leaders of the blind ; for themselves and their 
followers the ditch is not far off and it is deep. 

Continuous evangelism fails wherever its spirit 
is not in the pastor. He i& to lead, strengthen, and 
guide. The whole tone of his ministry and the 



iRev. J. W. Oochran, D. D., Board of Education, Philadel- 
phia, Pa. 



Pastoral Leadership 75 

whole tenor of his preaching must sustain the effort, 
or it withers. It should be more commonly known 
than it is, except by preachers themselves, that it 
takes more brains and genius to be a gospel and 
soul-winning preacher than it does to be a pulpit 
entertainer, philosopher, litterateur, or even theolo- 
gian. He has a very wide range who permits him- 
self the wisdom of the world in a sermon. At one 
time he may write a literary essay, at another a his- 
torical exposition, at another a poetical rhapsody, 
at another a moral treatise, at another a rhetorical 
oration, at another a sociological thesis. The 
audience is by turns instructed, amused, or inspired, 
and if the work is well done, and the people not too 
old-fashioned, the result is admiration, not for 
Christ or for His law of righteousness, but for the 
preacher. All this is very fine, it is altogether ra- 
tional and worldly-wise, and for any educated per- 
son of slight conscientiousness it is easy. But 
to hold to the one theme, the gospel and the word 
and work of Christ; to preach this divine message 
twice a Sunday the year round, and year after year, 
and to do so with interest and power. Is not easy. 
It takes science; it requires intellect and heart; it 
demands a man ! It implies more : God must be in 
this effort or it fails; therefox*e, the man must be 
often upon his knees and always works with his face 



76 Every-Day Evangelism 

heavenward. The pulpit lecturer, professor, elocu- 
tionist, is saved much hard thought and anxious 
study of the greatest of all problems, and he re- 
ceives much praise. But he saves no souls, and is a 
parasite on the labors of better men. 

The true preacher of Christ holds such work in 
contempt. He is engaged in bigger business. He 
must be an ambassador for Christ and speak forth 
His message. He must be a winner of lives to the 
Christian life, and to do this work he feels that 
by every means he must rally his people. The great 
business of the Christian ministry is to win the 
world to God. But this can not be done by preach- 
ers only, or even in general by these chosen leaders 
directly. Dr. Forsyth is eminently wise in saying : 
"If a preacher is to act on the world, he must do 
it, as a rule, through his Church. The minister's 
first duty is to his Church. He must make it a 
Church that acts on the world — through him, 
indeed, but also otherwise. He is to act as its head 
and not in its stead."^ 

In any practical campaign of the Church the 
pastor must be the general, both planning and 
managing the movement. To this work is he called 
of God, and if in earnest he suffers no man to dis- 
place or to excel him as the leader of his own people, 

2 " Positive Preaching and Modern Mind," p. 78. 



Pastoral Leadership 77 

especially in their effort to win souls. He may 
desire and need assistance, but if a professional 
evangelist or other helper is employed, as should 
be the case when interest Is great and the pastor's 
strength is overtaxed, he may not wisely be crowded 
out of relation to his own work. Good evangelists 
do not desire this, but wish the pastor to be at the 
very front; and If there be another type of evan- 
gelist, the most vital of all undertakings should 
never be surrendered to such Irresponsible hands. 

How burdened Is the modern pastor ! On every 
side he Is beset with duties, and he Is loaded down 
with fixed engagements. Body and brain are 
wearied to the outer limits of endurance. In a calling 
whose greatest strain is on the heart. In proposing 
pastoral leadership in a movement of systematic 
personal work, are we suggesting added responsi- 
bilities to be laid upon an already overburdened 
man? Perhaps so, but we are supposing that this 
work Is the most important to which the Church 
can give its strength, and that any other depart- 
ment might better be neglected, or abandoned, if 
necessary, for the sake of the greatest of all. But 
may not another than the pastor lead, as in the case 
of many Church societies? It may be said that 
whoever the officers may be, the pastor occupies a 
leader's relation to every society. In all, he may 



78 Every-Day Evangelism 

use assistants, leaving thenij so far as it is wise, to 
their own resources. The able pastor seeks to lead 
by indirection. In part, he may divide his respon- 
sibility with reference to membership work, but in 
this field he finds difficulties of training and experi- 
ence, of initiative, and of ability to counsel. There- 
fore, if success is to be secured, he will have to 
be the real, if not the ostensible head of the move- 
ment. His influence will be needed to popularize 
the undertaking, and his constant presence, as well 
as the skill which he may possess, will be required to 
keep the wheels turning. It is probably true, in a 
majority of instances, as should always be the case, 
that the pastor is the ablest and most experienced 
personal worker in the Church. His example, his 
wider knowledge, gained from reading and from 
years of practical effort, his enthusiasm for the 
main issues of the Christian life, all combine to 
throw upon him the chief responsibility. 

This will still be true, even if the time comes, 
which may easily occur, when the larger Churches 
maintain membership secretaries, permanent evan- 
gelists, who not only keep the books, but who seek 
accessions to the Church and look after them when 
secured, making an expenditure of time and pa- 
tience not possible to busy pastors, and preventing, 
in large part, the great losses which occur by reason 



Pastoral Leadership 79 

of removals from one part of a city to another, with 
consequent carelessness of Church relations. It 
passes comprehension why the Church does not 
more adequately increase its force of paid workers, 
thus keeping pace with an increasing number of 
adherents, and with the growing diversity of its 
services and obligations to society. Not only are 
high-salaried pastors kept at tasks from which 
ordinary office help would release them for greater 
duties, but in too many instances the more Chris- 
tian work of the Church gets crowded out alto- 
gether for details of business and of routine, which 
can not be left undone. 

No amount of clerk hire or of more able assist- 
ance would, however, replace the work of the pastor 
in reference to the membership movement. There 
he must be in evidence, not only as helper, but as 
captain of all. He should have oversight of the 
personnel of the department. The lectures and 
addresses on personal work should be delivered by 
him, or by persons whose fitness for the duty is 
known to him, and whom he has selected and intro- 
duced for the purpose. The reports of leaders 
should come to him, publicly or privately, as he 
may from time to time request. Receptive as he 
may and should be of any suggestions of methods 
to be employed which are made by others, yet with 



80 Every-Day Evangelism 

his larger leisure to thinkj and with his maturer 
experience to help him to devise, the planning will 
be mainly his own. He should be friend and coun- 
selor to each worker personally, as well as to the 
company as a whole, making its members feel a new 
attachment and devotion to their pastor as a fellow- 
worker. This nearer relationship will be his oppor- 
tunity also, by suggestion and encitement to de- 
velop to wider uses the powers of many of his more 
able assistants. In his groups of personal workers 
he will be on the constant lookout, not only for new 
officers and leaders in the local Church, but for pos- 
sible preachers, deaconesses, missionaries, settlement 
workers, association secretaries, and pastoral help- 
ers of all kinds. No treatise is able to convey, as 
the experience itself will do, a complete vision of 
the opportunity of general helpfulness which is 
thus offered to the pastor who has some genius for 
leadership, and a sympathetic nature, and whose 
supreme purpose it is to make every deed of his life 
tell on the side of Christ. 

The door of the Christian Church should be 
open at all times, and not as some humorist has sug- 
gested it too often is, only in the "R months." It 
should be possible, every Lord's Day, for one de- 
siring to do so, to take the first steps looking to- 
ward Church membership. Custom varies as to the 



Pastoral Leadership 81 

way of approach to the Church. The plan is an 
excellent one which is very widespread throughout 
the West : At some period of each Church service, 
usually before the singing of the second or last 
hymn, any person desiring to unite with the Church 
is invited to the altar, where, at the fitting moment, 
announcement is made of the candidate's name and 
address and of the fact of his reception. Continu- 
ous evangelism requires, at all events, frequent and 
well understood opportunities to give evidence of 
faith and of a desire to enter upon Christian fellow- 
ship. Announcements of this kind need not always 
be dwelt upon at length, or urged, lest they lose 
force, but by tone, gesture, and careful wording 
they may be preserved from the common and the 
perfunctory. Again, it is all a question of the 
spirit of the pastor. If he loves men so much that 
he never forgets the supreme need of their lives, 
this will be evident to his hearers in many ways, and 
he will so invite and will so address those whom he 
receives, as to greatly cheer the hearts of his work- 
ers, while he is pleasantly introducing the whole 
congregation and the newcomers to each other. 

No one understands better than does the pastor, 

that it is not enough to arouse conviction and even 

to secure conversion and entrance upon Church 

membership. One of the most valuable parts of 

6 



82 Every-Day Evangelism 

continuous evangelism is the meeting for young 
converts, which should be begun just as soon as 
there are enough persons newly entered into the 
Christian life to make it effective. To this meet- 
ing friends of the new members may be invited, and 
helpers in singing, prayer, and counsel. On begin- 
ning a pastorate, I was informed that probationers' 
meetings had been tried many times, but as the 
Church was downtown and far away from most of 
its people, success was not possible. With a little 
preliminary arrangement and advertising through 
the mails, the very first service of the kind was a 
success. Many meetings of new members and 
friends followed, never with less than from twenty- 
five to one hundred present. If there were but six 
and the pastor, however, or but one, who would 
listen and profit, it would be well worth the time. 
The converts' meeting serves, also, as a stimulus to 
the forward movement, whose members are asked to 
pray for it, to occasionally attend, and to strive 
to bring there some friend who may be thinking of 
entering upon a Christian life. This use of the 
service has been made very profitable, parents, 
Sunday-school teachers, and others coming with 
their charges to' secure for them instruction and aid, 
which they did not feel capable of imparting. 

A successful pastor issues the following card: 




Pastoral Leadership 83 

The Continuous Church 
Candidate's Club 



Of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, Schenectady, N. Y, 
Meets every Tuesday evening at 7.30, with the Pastor 

F. W. ADAMS, D. D. 

The Church Candidate's Club is for any and 
every one interested in an intelligent and sympa- 
thetic understanding of the Kingdom of God. 

All probationers in the Church are members, 
and as many others who will are invited to join. 

Our aim is to teach all things that a Christian 
ought to know. 

Our hope is to produce intelligent, cultured, and 
devout Christian character. 

Our meetings will be devoted to questions, dis- 
cussions, study, and " lecturettes " on vital themes 
of the Christian life. The following courses will 
be taken up at the meetings : 

1. Fundamentals of Faith and Doctrine. 

2. The Church and the Kingdom. 

3. Methodist Doctrine and Polity. 

4. Ethics. 

5. Experience. 

A Question Box will be opened each evening. 



84 Every-Day Evangelism 

In most instances it would probably be found 
unwise to hold, at least the year round, a weekly 
meeting of such a character. The monthly meet- 
ing, however, can be maintained almost or quite 
continuously, and a weekly service conducted for 
needed periods of time. The emphatic thought is 
that at proper times, and as often as possible, meet- 
ings of this nature should occur in every Church, 
lest there come to be a membership uninstructed 
and ignorant of the simplest and most necessary 
facts of Christian faith and duty. 

There will be times in the work of a member- 
ship department when there is no apparent prog- 
ress, or perhaps there is a temporary falling away. 
Then the good leader is stronger than ever. He is 
full of courage and hopefulness, his zeal is in- 
vincible, his counsels are reassuring. He redoubles 
his own efforts to bring in cheering results, re- 
kindling the faith of any who are disposed to be 
discouraged. He points to the good work of the 
past, and exalts the merit of faithfulness, declar- 
ing its promise of unfailing reward. Without him 
at this period the whole movement would disinte- 
grate and cease to be ; but he holds firm, keeps his 
face to the front, and success comes back again in 
greater and more gratifying measure than ever. 

It is steady and untiring leadership which 



Pastoral Leadership 85 

counts in all work of the Church. Some pastors are 
very ardent in their labors and influence during the 
first year in a new location, but afterward they 
do not have the same spirit. People wonder at this, 
and become indiff*erent or distressed. Other pastors 
allow long periods to pass without showing any 
deep concern about conversions and accessions. 
When, at last, they are persuaded that it is time 
for reaping, and bestir themselves, their followers 
are only mildly interested, thinking. Why this sud- 
den heat.? expecting it to soon pass without any 
need on their part to be disturbed over the matter. 
It should be the knowledge and conviction of the 
Church that the pastor is always alive to the condi- 
tion of the unsaved, and always eager to increase, 
not only the membership, but the spirituality and 
zeal of the people to whom he ministers. No doubt 
the Church does know this and believe it, when it 
is true; certainly the more spiritual members are 
never deceived on the point, and their conviction 
will not be based upon or maintained by constant 
protestations on his part. The truth is manifested, 
and, correctly, by many infallible signs. How 
stands the case with thy soul, O minister and shep- 
herd.? Art with him who cries in loving earnest- 
ness, "I am made all things to all men, if I might, 
by all means, save some.?" Hast His mind, who 



86 Every-Day Evangelism 

announced His mission in the words, "I am come 
to seek and to save that which was lost?" 

Wide acquaintance with active preachers will 
lead any one to believe that most modern ministers 
of the gospel are sincere men of God ; not working 
merely for a piece of bread; not time-servers save 
as the way of wisdom may be misunderstood; 
usually far more in earnest and making far greater 
sacrifices for Christ's sake than are other Chris- 
tians. Hard words are spoken of them often. 
Sweeping criticisims are hurled at their heads. In 
one of the greatest American cities, where there are 
many godly and able clergjanen, it was a pro- 
fessedly Christian paper which said, "When the 
preachers of various denominations unite for their 
annual excursion upon the ^Whaleback' steamer, if 
it should go to the bottom with all on board, it 
would then be possible to have a great revival." 
No less a paper than the Saturday Evening Post, 
with approval, represented a 3'oung man as saying, 
"Have the clergymen forgotten that their business 
is with my soul? Was there not once a Man who 
came to help it ? Why do they so seldom speak of 
Him?" These are coarser examples of the undis- 
criminating and therefore untrue statements, which, 
unfortunately, are but too frequently heard or 
read. There are ministers of the gospel who have 



Pastoral Leadership 87 

no concern for souls ; there are others who have not 
the courage or energy to do the work which they 
wish were done; but the vast majority are loving 
and true men, who sorrow for the sins of their day, 
and give themselves more stripes than they deserve 
for any failures of their ministry. They long and 
pray for the redemption of their fellow-men, and 
for their enrollment among Christian workers. 
They seek light and adopt gladly helpful sugges- 
tions. They deeply desire the hearty co-operation 
and the constant increase of their Churches. See- 
ing a way of realizing these ends, they willingly 
enlarge their own responsibilities, and seek to 
strengthen the work committed to their hands. If 
a general criticism may justly be made, it is that 
they undertake too much themselves, and do not 
sufficiently credit their parishioners with the desire 
to serve, and patiently teach them how to do their 
part. 

The idea obtains among some of the younger 
men of the ministry that if one gives his time and 
strength to pastoral labors and to the prosecution 
and encouragement of individual work for individ- 
uals, he will never be a great preacher. Who is the 
great preacher .^^ Certainly not the Sunday lec- 
turer, and week day recluse or bon vivant. At 
least if Christ attended his Church and mot him 



88 Every-Day Evangelism 

in daily life, He would not call him such. St. Paul's 
estimate of him would not be pleasing. Augustine, 
Chrysostom, Bernard, St. Francis, Martin Luther, 
John Knox, Wesley, Whitefield, Edwards, Thomas 
Guthrie, would rate him very low in the ranks who 
was not preaching, laboring, and inspiring others 
with the supreme object of winning souls. And 
are not these and men of their spirit the great 
preachers of all time? In recent days also the 
leaders, measured by Scriptural standards and by 
their grip upon the hearts of the people, have been 
of this type. What names are more distinguished 
or suggest better ideals for the young preacher 
than those of Spurgeon, Parker, Robertson, John 
Hall, Phillips Brooks, A. J. Gordon, T. L. Cuyler, 
Bishops McCabe and Joyce, Dr. J. O. Peck, and 
many others, who have been soul-winners as well 
as magnetic and intellectual expounders of the 
Word of God.^ Men of the same noble order are 
now workers in various pulpits and ecclesiastical 
offices, some of whose names appear elsewhere in this 
book. They put to shame those who are preaching 
for the times, and living like the men of the world. 
These are God's prophets, and faithful shepherds 
of the flock of Christ, 



CHAPTER VI 
INSTRUCTION OF WORKERS 

What is to be done? Is it not the first duty 
to bring the lives of men into contact and com- 
munion with the Hf e of Christ ? 

The evangehstic act has been well stated by 
Principal Forsyth:' "We must set the actual con- 
straining Christ before people, and not coax or bully 
people into decision." This being true, at the outset 
of his instruction to workers the pastor will em- 
phasize the supreme need of knowing Christ, not 
merely as a historical or theological person, but as 
a living Redeemer and the Creator of a new faith, 
new life, new world, new career, in the case of all 
who surrender themselves to Him. There will not 
be time for much doctrinal teaching, but enough 
should be said to make it clear to the dullest mind 
that the object of the whole movement is not to 
get people to give formal assent to the teachings 
of the Church or even of the Scriptures, but to so 

1" Positive Preaching and Modern Mind," Forsyth, p. 67. 



90 Every-Day Evangelism 

set forth Jesus Christ that they who see Him may 
desire Him, and permit Him to implant His life 
in their hearts. It should be known of all that the 
right work is not done until the subject of it is 
brought to the position where he might properly 
adopt as his own the language of the apostle, "It 
is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me." 
This is essential, for to quote another able saying,^ 
"To receive life eternal, not the forgiveness of 
sins, is the climax point to which the soul has to 
be led." In order to bring this about, it should 
be made evident to those who are led to realize and 
to desire the gift of life in Clndst, that only one 
thing stands in the way — sin — the guilt and power 
of which are removed by the death of Christ and 
by the life of Christ received through faith. These 
great truths should be simply but forcefully placed 
before the personal worker that he may understand 
just what it is he is to seek to bring to pass. But, 
of course, no instruction will be able to equip him 
for this undertaking unless it is related to his own 
actual experience of what is taught. A little earnest 
emphasis upon this truth before a large commit- 
tee will, perhaps, bring to the pastor's stud}^ mem- 
bers of his working force itself, who will confess 



2 By Rev. George Soltau, in address on *'The Crisis Fact in 
Conversion." 



Instruction of Workers 91 

to him, "I fear that I have not personal knowl- 
edge of this matter." Thus to the leader will be 
given opportunity to explain more fully and ef- 
fectively the way of life, with the result that the 
first fruits of the movement are come from the com- 
mittee itself. There are not a few Church members 
of the best moral character and sincerity who have 
no personal Christian experience. They are re- 
ligious, but from an influence born of their environ- 
ment ; from about them, and not from above. How 
great is the need of an evangelism within the 
Church. True as is the saying, ^'The first need of 
a better world is a holier Church," it may, with 
equal truth, be said that the first need of a holier 
Church is a regenerated membership. 

For those who have been brought to understand 
just what life winning really is, the Scriptures will 
be the great source of wisdom. This repository of 
examples and methods will be the text-book and 
authority to which the leader will constantly refer. 
If he desires to use them in this way, he will find 
enough Biblical texts and examples to furnish 
training for years. Some will prefer, however, to 
handle the theme topically, using the Scriptures for 
illustrations or authority. Whether the one plan 
or the other be adopted, there should be much prac- 
tical instruction in the art of so expressing truth 



92 Every-Day Evangelism 

that it will be attractive and influential, and in the 
best ways of approaching persons of various types 
of mind and of nature. There will also be some in- 
spiration and encouragement of those who feel that 
they have not strength to do the tasks suggested, 
or whoj having essayed to do personal work, and 
finding themselves apparently ignored or rebuff^ed, 
are easily disheartened. As this will be one of the 
great difficulties of the whole adventure, it should 
be discounted from the beginning. Forewarned 
may not be forearmed, but at least it is undeceived 
concerning some of the trials of faith and courage 
which may arise. And if nothing very troublesome 
does come, or if expecting it one has made the 
preparation through prayer which enables him to 
overcome, there is so much the more satisfaction. 

A very helpful part in the instruction of per- 
sonal workers is the narration of instances which 
have come within one's own knowledge, or which 
have been drawn from the experience of others. 
Believing that they will be useful to some teachers, 
a chapter of condensed illustrations has been in- 
serted in this book. Those pastors who have done 
years of personal work will have at ready command 
a host of examples of the principles which they are 
seeking to establish in the minds of their helpers. 

To most teachers it is needless to suggest that 



Instruction of Workers 93 

repetition of the same account is to be avoided, as 
well as unnecessary details or lengthy digressions. 
The case quickly outlined, with emphasis carefully 
placed upon the thought represented, best im- 
presses the memory and becomes the appropriated 
knowledge of the hearer. Experienced workers in 
the committee will be glad to be called on from 
time to time to recount briefly a success or failure 
of their own. Other pastors or friends of the 
movement may also be brought in occasionally for 
the same good service. Probably it will not be 
found wise to have, in the general meeting, state- 
ments of local work done by members, with sug- 
gestions from the leaders and others. This might 
give occasion for undesirable personalities, reports 
being made which would be really harmful. Such 
instruction would come better in the pastor's study 
or between leaders and members of the small 
groups. 

A part of the culture of the committee will be 
the recommendation of some of the helpful books 
referred to elsewhere. It may be thought desirable 
to use one of these books as side-reading, or even 
as a study. In this case short passages or chap- 
ters may be given out, and the meaning later ex- 
plained and illustrated by the pastor. It is wise 
not to make questions on the book used embarrass- 



94 Every-Day Evangelism 

ing. They may be put to all present, or there may 
be questions as to personal opinion of sayings read 
from the passage, with discussion following. If 
the work is continued from season to season, the 
pastor will be able to employ various methods of 
instruction, and will be glad for the suggestion of 
as great a variety as possible. 

There are some elements which go to make up 
good teaching of personal work which must be re- 
iterated constantly. It has already been remarked 
that the session of the committee should always be 
opened with earnest prayer. It should also be 
taught the members by frequent suggestion and 
examples that the whole movement must be steeped 
in prayer or it will fail. It must be shown that at 
every step in all Christian activities, and especially 
in the most delicate and important of all, there must 
be recognition of the Source of all good counsel and 
strength. The study of the Bible, with a view to 
its use in winning souls, is another of the matters 
which require that most useful figure — repetition. 
It is so easy to forget, or at least to neglect, these 
vitally necessary preparations and aids. From 
another standpoint, too much insistence can not be 
made upon psychology and the study of the indi- 
vidual. Not that the Divine Spirit who guides, and 



Instruction of Workers 95 

who, really, through human instruments does the 
work, IS in any respect ignorant of the conditions 
and operations of mind which obtain in one whose 
salvation we seek. But He would have us show the 
consideration which seems due to others, with that 
recognition of personal qualities and peculiarities, 
without which our endeavors to exert good influence 
are very likely to fail. If any proposes to enter 
into the conscience of another to move its mechan- 
ism righteously, teach him that this is a very holy 
place, the right approach to which should be made 
at all hazards, but gently and respectfully. 

There is danger at this point lest some should 
be led to have such an exalted idea of the qualities 
and circumstances necessary that they will be 
frightened away from the task altogether. It 
should be made plain that the Holy Spirit is able 
to make the thoughtful, consecrated mind equal to 
the most serious responsibility; but there is to be 
no hasty driving of rash and inconsiderate people 
to the most tender and vital service which can be 
rendered by one person to another. In the first 
year of my ministry a zeal which was not according 
to knowledge, led me into this error. Two by two, 
with little prayer and with no careful thought or 
training, a considerable company was sent out for 



96 Every-Day Evangelism 

house-to-house soHcitation. Some good was done, 
no doubt, but in general the reports were somewhat 
amusing and a good deal more embarrassing. The 
experiment has never been repeated, and never 
should be made under the conditions which then 
obtained. 

It is to be understood that training for spiritual 
work must, first of all, be spiritual. The heart, 
more truly than the head, needs this culture. It 
does not require that one should be a college grad- 
uate in order to bring a friend into the presence 
of Christ, perchance into His love. Indeed, it is 
pitiful to know how ignorant of Christianity, of 
the Bible, and of religious life and duty the average 
person of education may be. The colleges do not 
teach these matters, or usually even consider that 
they are any part of their concern. But they may 
be acquired elsewhere, and at all events, the wisdom 
of heart which gives understanding, sympathy, and 
the right note in the voice, do not come by way of 
merely intellectual processes. To be able to lead 
his workers into this spirit, a pastor should himself 
have a great and overflowing nature. Moreover, 
not merely by what he says, but by what he is, he 
must conduct them into the chambers of the heart 
from which all others came, and which now lives 
for all, as truly as in the long ago it could not con- 



Instruction of Workers 97 

tent itself without the love of man, but must break 
and die to redeem him from gross treasures unto 
the wealth of its supreme love. 

Heart power! This is the leverage which 
quickens inertia and moves mass. How possess it 
and lead others to its possession and outflow ? This 
is the true science of sciences, which is learned only 
in the school of Christ. But there are some who 
have passed this way before us. They are grad- 
uates and post-graduates, as compared with our- 
selves. To obtain a deeper, stronger nature, God 
helps us, not only by His word and communion, but 
also by our more advanced fellow-learners. There 
are people whose presence and conversation make 
the eye glisten and the heart throb. Unfor- 
tunate is he who does not know some of these, and 
seek them when he needs to be strengthened. It 
may be a minister of the gospel, a business man, or 
a house-wife, who can give the needed help. Very 
likely it will be some invalid, who, in a severe school 
of pain and bitterness, has learned the secret of 
love. Many a pastor has received his passion for 
humanity and his grace in reaching them at the fire 
of an ignorant mechanic or working w^oman. An 
illiterate German whom I used occasionally to meet 
years since, could transport one into the seventh 
heaven of desire to win wanderers to the embrace 
7 



98 Every-Day Evangelism 

of Christ by the light of his face, the thrill of his 
voice, the naturalness of his bearing, and the sim- 
plicity of his dialect, as he sang a favorite hymn. 
"Let us now," he would say, "sing dis verse, 'He 
saved a poor sinner like me,' and see if ve do n't 
get happy." On the street, at home, in gospel 
services, wherever he sang, everybody did "get 
happy," for it was the song of a redeemed soul, 
freed from its sins, and, like a bird which soars 
sunward and skyward, rejoicing in its life and 
strength. I presume that there were many who, 
like myself, felt at times the need of touching such 
a personality, who came to desire the fellowship of 
this humble but very sincere and helpful man, and 
to take heart of him. Some such character must 
have been the San Francisco washerwoman, whose 
quaint sayings often appeared in the newspapers, 
and such must also have been Dan'l Quorm and 
"Frankie," of whom Mark Guy Pearse has so 
charmingly written. There are other characters of 
this kind in books, and there are books of this char- 
acter. Not a few passages in Jeremy Taylor tend 
to Increase heart-power, as do some of the sayings 
of Thomas a Kempis. In such biographies as that 
of Henry Drummond by George Adam Smith, and 
Sabatier's St. Francis, are facts and sayings of 
similar strength and grace. One who needs the 



Instruction of Workers 99 

evangelistic fire of his spirit rekindled can not do 
better than to read Finney or Moody. Every 
pastor especially will do well to read these men fre- 
quently, and he should not neglect the mystics, 
pietists, and missionaries, whose words and works 
were more intensive and daring than those of our 
world. 

Elsewhere will be found suggested series of 
topics for the instruction of personal workers, to- 
gether with a few outlines of talks which will serve 
to show to any who may desire such information 
the nature of the treatment which may be given 
these themes. Circumstances and the personnel of 
the membership department will indicate how to 
adapt the instruction given, and all of its appoint- 
ments, to the needs of the case. Of course it should 
be remembered that in this rushing time people 
have short memories and little power of sustained 
interest. Addresses are enjoyed and are useful in 
proportion as they are brief, simply and clearly 
outlined and filled with human interest. 

It will be even more true of the teacher of a 
company of personal workers than it is of all other 
teachers, that he will come to realize his own defi- 
ciencies as an instructor, but as he continues to 
impart what has been given to liim he will find 
himself growing in ability and in the delight of the 



100 Every-Day Evangelism 

office. There will be occasions when, more profit- 
ably than he could ever previously do, he will vary 
liis pulpit appeals to Christian activity by giving 
definite information to his people as a whole con- 
cerning the duties and the best methods of the 
supreme work. Many of his addresses to the smaller 
number will make excellent and much needed in- 
struction for the entire Church, and their repetition 
will often be very kindly received. 

It may be. however, that his labors in the pulpit 
and with his company of workers will seem to him 
to fall far short of the practical effect which they 
should ha^'e, and this for no fault of liis own, but 
by reason of the inattention, obtuseness, or neglect 
of his people. Tliis should not occasion surprise. 
The Great Teacher Himself had dull pupils, slow 
of heart and remiss in their manifest duties. But 
He had patience to bear and not grow weary. Line 
upon Kne, precept upon precept, here a little and 
there a little. He taught them, until at last He in- 
fonned and inspirited a few followers, who, years 
after His departure from earth, were doing with 
energy and power the work which He so painfully 
had impressed upon them. 

It should be borne in mind that it is a very 
great achievement to enlist and to develop a worker. 
Socrates did no act wliich so enriched the world 



Instruction of Workers 101 

as did his teaching of Plato. The old Milanese 
painter, gazing with tears of joy upon the "Last 
Supper," famously produced by his beloved pupil, 
Leonardo, cried, "I paint no more, my son." He 
knew that his work was to be continued and im- 
proved through the youth whom he had acquainted 
with the rules of art. Sir Humphry Davy well 
accounted all his discoveries as naught compared 
with Faraday, the best representative of his in- 
struction. It is not too much to say that Jesus 
did more for His kingdom by training a John or 
a Peter than by gaining hundreds of converts. It 
may not make him so famous or bring to him so 
many honors, but the pastor who will sacrifice time 
and strength to the inspiration and cultivation of 
the powers of Church men and women, particularly 
of the young, will thereby advance the interests of 
the kingdom of God, to which he has given his 
life. In later years he will have the delight which 
an old pastor recently expressed. With justifiable 
pride he claimed the early training and culture of 
one of the best laymen of a great Church. Another 
preacher, whose work in the pulpit is almost con- 
cluded, if he thinks of it, as I doubt not he often 
does, has the satisfaction of knowing that within a 
few miles of him two strong leaders of the people 
are carrying forward a wider work than he has 



102 Every-Day Evangelism 

ever done, the earliest and best preparation for 
which they received through him. This is no small 
reward for carefulness of consideration and deed. 
It is success. It makes one in whom more sordid 
ambitions have long since grown cold feel that his 
surpassing passion has been realized, and that his 
life has been worth living. And there can be no 
doubt that to one who has not only devoted thought 
and effort to his own enrichment of mind, and de- 
velopment in the ability and experience needed in 
order to become a successful worker, but who has 
widened his purpose and directed his energies to the 
task of maturing the gifts of those within the 
sphere of his influence, the honors of heaven are 
sure 

**To the giver shall be given: 
If thou wouldst walk in white 
Make other spirits bright.'' 



CHAPTER VII 
PROCURING MATERIAL 

The personal work of the Church is too largely 
confined to the small circle of those who are so near 
at hand or so closely related to the membership as 
always to be thought of in this connection. This 
is most unfortunate, as it results in undue pressure 
upon persons who have probably been wearied or 
hardened by importunity, while it leaves the vast 
number with no teaching or invitation to accept 
Christ, As for negligent and even absent Church 
members, they are commonly lost sight of and for- 
gotten altogether, except by the over-burdened 
pastor, who, at best, is able to give them but infre- 
quent attention. 

To begin with, names of persons who need and 
who may respond to Christian propagandism and 
culture may be secured from the membership de- 
partment itself. All should be encouraged to make 
prayer-lists of those for whose salvation or reclama- 

103 



104 Every-Day Evangelism 

tion they will pray and labor. Cards for names 
and addresses may be provided, on which informa- 
tion may be furnished as to individuals who should 
be brought into the fellowship of the local Church, 
either on confession of faith or by certificate. A 
catalogue of the next of kin, obtained in this way, 
will be suggestive to the pastor in his own visiting 
and in that of his assistants. The persons repre- 
sented thereon may be sent Church papers, pro- 
grams, and invitations, or any helpful Christian 
literature. In a very brief time, in my own member- 
ship department, there were received the names of 
some five hundred people, many of whom were 
totally unknown to me, but who, with a few excep- 
tions, due to error, were really those whom our own 
Church ought long before to have sought. If 
nothing further had resulted than the gathering 
of this valuable material for future attention, all 
the trouble and expenditure of time would have 
been amply repaid. Not a few of those whose 
names appeared on the lists accumulated have since 
been brought into vital contact with Christ and 
with His work. 

If the Church has an active vestibule committee 
it will not be necessary to assign such work to the 
membership department. But from this source 
should come a considerable list of persons to be 



Procuring Material 105 

visited. In some cases one of the groups may be 
assigned vestibule work, but the selection of mem- 
bers for this service is always to be carefully con- 
sidered, as many excellent and even prominent 
people have no adaptability to the task of meet- 
ing total strangers and of extracting from them 
such facts as the Church should receive. Ves- 
tibule committees need careful instruction by the 
pastor, and in their hands report blanks are neces- 
sary, since the memory, as a rule, fails to accurately 
retain useful items like correct initials, numbers, 
and personal data. 

The religious canvass is the most general way 
to discover the unchurched, and if it is made care- 
fully a vast amount of material can be obtained 
by this means. If the right canvassers can be 
secured it is profitable in large cities to hire them, 
and then to require painstaking service. However, 
a voluntary corps of workers may do just as effi- 
cient work, though more slowly, and requiring more 
careful and constant supervision. There should be 
report blanks or books made out somewhat as 
follows : 



106 Every-Day Evangelism 



(Name of Family.) 

(Street.) 

(Num.ber.) 

Number of persons 

Names, if secured 

Church attended 

Who are members of Church? 

Who attend Sunday-school? 

Leaving names who do not attend 

If not attendants, Church preferred 

AVould a call from the pastor be desired? 

Boarders or servants, names and Churches 

(Signed) .Canvasser. 



It is more convenient for filing and reference 
to have the street and number at one corner and the 
family name at the other. Of course, where fami- 
lies are found to be regular adherents of another 
Church, canvassers should be instructed simply to 
inquire as to boarders and servants, and to take 
their leave with some pleasant word of kindly in- 
terest. The blanks should be printed with such 
proportionate spaces as will permit of full infor- 
mation where it is needed and gained. Persons 
going out in this service should be provided with 
a card of introduction, and either joined with it or 
separate as may be desired, an attractive announce- 
ment of the Church location, hours of service, 



Procuring Material 107 

activities, and possibly some facts of history. This 
should be left in every house as an advertisement 
and invitation. Cheap, poor printing is not wise. 
The more pleasant the conversation of the visitor 
and the more beautiful and effective the card or cir- 
cular left, the more certain will it be that some 
member or members of the family called on will, 
sooner or later, attend the Church. 

Doubtless the best of all material for the work 
of the membership department will be that ob- 
tained in the meetings of the Church itself. The 
Sunday-school rolls should be inspected regularly, 
to see if there are not some names thereon of per- 
sons who ought to be interested in Church member- 
ship. These names also may be divided up by the 
whole department, or by the members of the group 
assigned this part of the work. If the school itself 
is doing nothing to encourage its members to attend 
preaching services, a plan may be devised for en- 
couraging this desirable habit, the use of cards, 
certificates, and booklets, given for a certain num- 
ber of attendances during the year, having been 
found very successful. This is a type of evan- 
gelism which is so largely neglected that in most 
cases it may be said that the Sunday-school is 
largely composed of non-Church goers. 



108 Every-Day Evangelism 

Revival campaigns will furnish much work for 
membership groups. One reason that results of 
such undertakings are not larger and more per- 
manent is that after-work is done so slowly and in- 
adequately. If those impressed are visited at once, 
and continuously, until definite and lasting relations 
are formed, there is less cause for disappointment, 
and the number is decreased who say, I have tried 
religion, but did not find anything in it for me. It 
is exceedingly difficult to influence a once awakened 
sinner who never found his way into the fold of 
Christ, but who thinks that he has disproved the 
value of Christian experience. 

The Sunday night service, where it is well at- 
tended, presents a very excellent opportunity for 
getting needed facts about more or less regular 
attendants and adherents. Even if it is not a time 
when after-meetings are being held, or when it is 
deemed wise to exhort persons to rise or to come 
forward for prayer, excellent advices may be ob- 
tained by the use of various cards, which many 
will not hesitate to sign. 

At times an application card may be employed, 
finding some who are ready at once to join the 
Church. 



Procuring Material 109 



MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION. 

Church. 

As I now accept Jesus Christ as my Savior, 
and as it is my determination, God's grace 
assisting me to lead a Christian life, I hereby 
request the pastor of Church to re- 
ceive me as a member. I will seek to show 
the sincerity and permanent character of my 
purpose. 

(Name) 

(Address) 



A broader net is thrown out by a card which, 
while not a membership application, is indicative of 
a true acceptance of Christ. This card may be 
read, with the Scripture passages attached, and a 
careful explanation may be given as to its deep 
meaning and as to the value of committing one's 
self by signature to that which is the heart's real 
faith. 

Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. 



5.« 



Believing in Jesus Christ as the Savior of 
men, I desire henceforth to lead a Christian 
life, and to that end I wish the prayers and 
assistance of the Church. 



(Name) 

(Address). 



ft Q 

ft K 



Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I wilt 
give you rest. 



110 



Every-Day Evangelism 



A form of ballot adapted from one used at the 
First Methodist Church, Syracuse, N. Y., the Rev. 
F. T. Keeney, D. D., pastor, has been found serv- 
iceable. 



YES 

I AM A 

CHURCH MEMBER. 



I think of uniting with . 
Chui'ch by letter: 

Name 

Address 



The pastor of this Church may 
send for my letter. 

Send to 

Pastor's name, if known 



NO 

I AM NOT A 

CHURCH MEMBER. 



It Is my purpose to lead a 
Christian life, and I would 
like to be enrolled as a 
member In Church. 



Name 

Address . 



Each person in the audience is requested at 
least to tear this slip in two at the scored Une, and 
to vote one end or the other. In tliis way the pastor 
determines the proportion of non-Church members 
in his audience. The blanks filled out are almost 
sure to be "wheat in the bin," if the right care is 
given. 

The card below, having two sides, as indicated, 
is a combination of various suggestions, and this 
has been found a very excellent fisher's bait. 



/ 



Procuring Material 

Front Side. 



Ill 



TO METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 

Pastor, Rev 

Assistant, Rev 



I think of uniting with . 
Church by letter. 

Name 

Address 



Will the pastor of 

Church send for my let- 
ter? 

Send to 



Church 

Town 

Pastor, if known.. 



It is my purpose to lead a 
Christian life and I would 
like to be enrolled as a 

member in 

Church. 

Name 

Address 

Change of address 

From 

To 



City.... 
State . 



Reverse Side. 



To the Pastor Our seats are free. 

Church. We are glad you are present. 

City State. 

Please call on 

Name 


Address 


: : 1 








Who is 

Place an X 
to Indicate 
which 




Sick. 

In Sorrow. 

A new comer. 

Desires to unite with the Church. 

Thinks of beginning a Christian life. 










The above 1 
Name 


8 reqi 


lested by 


Add re 


3S 







112 Every-Day Evangelism 

Some of the above cards are excellent for fol- 
lowing up an altar service, or general invitation ; 
those who come forward, rise, or otherwise indicate 
their purpose, being thus recorded. It will be ob- 
served that these cards all possess significance. 
There is little value in the "I want to be better," 
and the ^'Desire to be a Christian" pledge often 
used, and sometimes falsely counted as evidence of 
conversion. 

It will be strange. Indeed, if, by the above 
methods, supplemented by the information secured 
during calls made, the largest and most active mem- 
bership department is not speedily furnished ma- 
terial enough to last for many months. 

The progress of the work itself will supply the 
names of new members of the Church who are to 
be visited, and the pastor's knowledge of the unin- 
terested, disaffected, or unfaithful members of the 
flock, as well as of those who are difficult and slow 
to form attachments, will give opportunity for 
ministrations of the greatest value. 

Is there need of adding the reminder that the 
great Head of the Church desires, that 

*'Not one life should be destroyed 
Or cast as rubbish to the void?" 

"God is no respecter of persons," and He would 
have us seek men for themselves and not for their 



Procuring Material 113 

possessions, ability, or culture. Rich and refined 
personalities are so hedged about or so awe-inspir- 
ing that they are sometimes religiously ignored. It 
is a sin. Not fear nor self-depreciation should keep 
us from witnessing, as did Paul, before rulers and 
leaders of society. But he who despises the poor 
and the rude, or who makes naught of gathering 
children into Christian fellowship, has missed the 
principle which controls the kingdom of Christ. 
The child will soon be a man or woman. The illiter- 
ate may yet be more truly cultured than some who 
have had all advantages of school. Bj the next 
wheel-turn the poor may become the rich. But 
whether these transformations occur or not, all souls 
are God's jewels and He wants and can use them 
all. "Not a respectable family among them," a 
pious scoffer once said of a company of new mem- 
bers received into the Church. But out of that 
number came several leadei's of men and heads of 
very "respectable" families. "Only a boys' re- 
vival," was the comment made on a series of meet- 
ings which was held to be a failure. But the paper 
which, thirty-five years later, told the story, spoke 
of one boy who had been a Sunday-school superin- 
tendent for twenty-seven years, of another who 
had been for twenty-four years pastor of that very 
Church in which he was converted, of another who 
8 



114 Every-Day Evangelism 

was a prominent minister of Philadelphia. Two 
others were also preachers, and, of the rest, those 
who could be traced were right-living, useful Chris- 
tians. 

Is there "a heaven on earth?" If so, it is in 
the heart which loves all men, and which unselfishly 
and without discrimination seeks their salvation. 
And in the heaven to come, one of the great joys 
will be to find streams of influence reappearing, as 
the Greeks, who went as colonists to Sicily, believed 
their loved Alphseus again flowed before them in 
the waters of Ortygia. 



CHAPTER VIII 
FOLLOWING UP RESULTS 

Produced by the spiritual life and labors of the 
Church, good influences are always at work among 
those who have not confessed Christ. The sermons 
preached, the true testimonies uttered in public 
and in private, and still more powerfully all pure 
and self-denying Christian lives are continuously 
making impressions which may lead to conversion. 
For the lack of any protracted interest shown in 
them, however, many persons by whom the signs of 
conviction have been manifested drift away with- 
out definitely declaring themselves or becoming at- 
tached to the Church. This is a double wrong; it 
impoverishes the Church, and it hardens hearts 
wholly convinced and half won to the Christian 
life, making it exceedingly difficult to reach them in 
future. The meshes of our gospel net are alto- 
gether too wide, and permit of too many escapes. 
Our efforts at rescuing the lost are too feeble ; we 

115 



116 Every-Day Evangelism 

permit man}^ to dk when half saved. If it is worth 
while convincing them of their need of Christ, it 
is certainly not less important to conserve the effects 
of such efforts by seeing that steps are taken which 
are binding and permanent. 

No pastor can follow up all the results, even of 
his own preaching. In many cases he does not 
know whom the truth has touched. Of course, no 
one may possess this information, but often some 
friend or Church acquaintance finds out what is 
carefully concealed from others, and if trained to 
seize such an opportunity is able to bring about 
an open confession. 

Bereavements and losses, seasons of sickness, of 
special anxieties and cares, are often found to have 
mellowed the hardest soil, and to have prepared it 
for Christian teaching. After the pastor has per- 
formed his offices of love, there is work for the 
men and women of the Church, whose co-operation 
in thoughtf ulness and in direct instruction is likely 
to confirm all good effects produced, and to lead 
to the desire for permanent Christian fellowship. 
Therefore, to the names obtained by the means 
previously suggested should be added those of in- 
dividuals especially afflicted from any cause. 

If the groups into which the membership de- 
partment has been divided have been selected with 



Following up Results 117 

reference to age and fitness to work together, those 
who are to. be called upon and dealt with may be 
divided in a similar way and furnished to the 
leaders, who will assign them to individuals, keep- 
ing a record of the apportionment, and taking 
pains to know whether or not the persons are 
actually visited. Judgment should be exercised as 
to the number of names divided up in this way, 
and the proportion to each worker. Experience 
will soon reveal who may be trusted with the greater 
responsibilities. Those who do most work and do 
it in the best manner will be rewarded, for this is 
the natural law, by being given more to do. There 
will be cases which the pastor will prefer to reserve 
for himself, and each leader likewise. As all the 
operations within the committee as a whole, and 
also within each group, are to be treated as confi- 
dential, there can be no harm done by introducing 
the same name into several groups, or by assigning 
it to a number of persons whose co-operation in 
this undertaking may be unknown to themselves. 
In all membership work those who are enlisted 
should be encouraged to keep private memoranda 
of cases which have been assigned to them, or which 
they have themselves undertaken. If the accounts 
are carefully kept, there will likely be more per- 



118 Every-Day Evangelism 

sistent endeavor to secure definite action, and in 
time, as the labor done becomes fruitful, the data 
entered in the note-book will afford much encour- 
agement. In the absence of such a practice many- 
will either become superficial and ineffective in their 
personal work, or they may come to feel that what 
they are able to accomplish is of comparatively 
little importance, when effort will cease. 

The following is a fac-simile of the pages of a 
note-book used by workers' training classes in a 
number of Young Men's Christian Associations, and 
originating, I think, with the Cleveland Associa- 
tion. The book is simply and inexpensively printed 
so that it may be used in quantities. Any mem- 
bership department could print very reasonably 
enough copies to last for years. 

As It is a great bore to many people to keep 
a diary or any accounts of experience, the use of 
these records should not be made obligatory or 
embarrassing. For my own part, I would give a 
great deal to possess notes of very Interesting In- 
terviews and experiences of times past, which I 
have found to be but Imperfectly preserved In 
memory. 



Following up Results 



119 



Name , 

Residence , 

Business address 

Occupation 

Date first conversation... 
Under what conditions . 



State of mind.. 



Information about man: Age... 

Married 

Home conditions 



Associates and habits . 



Church relation.. 



RECORD OF INTERVIEWS. 
(GIVB DATES.) 



We have now to consider a form of personal 
work second to none in its importance, and yet one 
which is largely neglected. This is oversight of 
new members of the Church. For the lack of any 
special attention no small proportion of young 
Christians, and even of persons brought in by cer- 
tificate, either sink into uselessness or fall away 
altogether within the first two years of their 



120 Every-Day Evangelism 

Church relation. Xo one takes note of then' degree 
of regularity at worsliip. Xo one explains to them 
what they may do in the Church, or what they 
should giye to it of money or seryice. They are, 
perhaps, introduced to yery few persons. Soon 
they come to feel that there is no place for them, 
and they may eyen get the notion that for some 
reason they are not wanted. ^Meanwhile other in- 
fluences come into their liyes. Secular societies pay 
them court, the usual reasons for especial attrac- 
tion and cult iyat ion of new members by these or- 
ganizations being less eyident to the objects thereof 
than to others. Misconceptions arise, and in the 
absence of watchfulness those who might become 
yaluable constituents of the kingdom of Christ are 
either lost or join the company of those who main- 
tain a nominal Church relation, while their hearts 
are elsewhere. 

Absolute or yirtual lapses from Christian fel- 
lowship and seryice constitute one of the most dis- 
quieting features of the times. There would not 
be less but more concern about this if any reliable 
statistics were in existence. In the nature of the 
case the figures would be yery difficult to obtain, 
but to gain some conception of the matter it is 
sufficient to study the communities with which one 
is acquainted, and to consider that they are iin- 



Following up Results 121 

doubtedly representative of general conditions. 
Ask indifferent Church-members and out-and-out 
deserters, and it will be determined that nine-tenths 
of them had at first some genuine interest. They 
received at least the beginnings of a Christian ex- 
perience, but something happened, — they hardly 
know what, and progress ceased almost before it 
was begun. Many of those who have retained their 
Church connection, if asked, "Are you a Chris- 
tian?" reply, "I was, — once." Some merely answer 
"No." Not a few turn the query aside, with some 
irrelevant remark, not being willing, perhaps, to 
honestly meet the issue, even in their own minds. 
Every one who has the care of Church books knows 
well what a large amount of material of this kind 
goes to make up reported totals, or is silently 
counted out by discreet officials. 

Is there any means of correcting this qyH? Can 
the ebb-tide away from Christian experience and 
living be stopped? I believe that there is a way, 
at least, to materially reduce its volume, keeping 
thousands from wasting themselves on unworthy 
associations and pursuits, and retaining their good 
qualities for the service of Christ. It has been 
remarked that losses of this kind mainly occur 
during the earliest months of connection with the 
Church. Either it is a new convert who falls away, 



122 Every-Day Evangelism 

or else one who, having removed to a new locality, 
is not easily adjusted to its relationships. Having 
been acquainted with every one in the former 
Church, as well as being among the number who 
were very much at home in its work, he does not 
understand why it is not the same in a new place, 
or, if he does appreciate the difficulties, has no 
patience for them, and will not volunteer the rea- 
sonable advances which would assure friendship and 
lead to his enlistment in congenial and useful serv- 
ices. Let the Church bridge the chasm. Let 
active members take the initiative in making new 
comers welcome, and let the responsibility of de- 
velopment be not less earnestly met than is that 
of the gathering of converts. The personal 
workers' committee or department offers the agency 
needed to strengthen the hold of Christianity upon 
both of these classes. The size of the committee 
will usually bear a close relation to the field which 
is being cultivated and to its results. If the com- 
mittee is large and strong, it will surely be equal 
to the additional labor of having an added care or 
two per member; and if it is small, but makes up 
in zeal what it lacks in size, it will be ready to 
assume almost any helpful task. This is the sug- 
gestion : As fast as new members are received into 
the Church, either by letter or on confession of 



Following up Results 123 

faith, let them be divided among the committee. 
Assignments should be made carefully, with refer- 
ence to congeniality and probable influence. Very 
likely the pastor will see to this, and he will so 
instruct the workers that ill-advised or unwelcome 
attentions will not be off^ered. Without in any way 
revealing the fact that he has been appointed to 
such an office, each one who has taken a name will 
look after the person in his charge. He will ob- 
serve whether or not he is regular in his attend- 
ance at the various meetings which he should sup- 
port. He will see that sufficient instructions are 
given so that he may get a fair chance to arrive 
at a good acquaintance among Christian people. 
He will interest himself in the matter of some con- 
tribution, and the more fearlessly as he may realize 
the truth that no voluntarily non-supporting 
Church-member becomes vitally interested in the 
work of Christ. In every way he will so inform 
himself as to the conduct and needs of the one 
placed in his care, that he will be able to secure 
for him all the consideration and help required in 
order that he may gain a sure place in the life of 
the Church and become a permanent factor In its 
activities. 

What will be said of this? One will say, "It 
is mechanical." But mechanism, rightly used, is 



124 Every-Day Evangelism 

powerful to achieve good ends. Another will say, 
"I can get no one to do such work." Did you ever 
try? Plenty of people are spoiling for something 
to do and are saying bitterly, ''No man hath hired 
me." There are some such in your Church. It 
will pay to find them and to set them at work 
before they, too, are stolen away by those first- 
class organizers, the world and the devil. It will, 
of course, be objected that this plan will become 
known and that harm will be done; or, at least, 
that well-meaning but inept workers will make 
offensive blunders and drive away more people than 
they help. Experience teaches the exact reverse. 
Very few people are repelled from Churches by 
attentions overdone or awkwardly offered. It is 
underrating the intelligence and good-will of 
people to suppose them to be so ready to take 
offense, or to despise any kindly service rendered 
them. And the knowledge that matters of this 
nature are being looked after, so far from offend- 
ing any one who may discover the fact, or may 
even be made to know that he is himself one of 
the subjects of this care, will very likely be some- 
thing of which he will boast when he speaks to out- 
siders of the Church in which he has found a real 
home. If some light-minded individual should be 
too proud to correctly estimate the value of the 



Following up Results 125 

courtesy extended to him, a score of others will be 
brought into relations which, for many years, will 
be reciprocally helpful. Moreover, let it be re- 
peated, all of this work may be done without ad- 
vertising, and often, especially in the city, with 
no general knowledge that it is being attempted. 
So that it comes finally to the old excuse, "It is too 
much trouble." With this criticism, either ex- 
pressed or felt, it is not easy to have much patience. 
What is the Church for, if it is not to take trouble ? 
What does the service of Christ suppose, — singing 
hymns, repeating prayers, hearing sermons, put- 
ting a few surplus coins on the plate, or sending 
an occasional check? Or does the New Testament 
teach brotherly love, concern for the highest wel- 
fare of men, painstaking in all the offices of Chris- 
tian benevolence and teaching .^^ 

It is a mistake to suppose that the exhortations 
of the Scriptures with reference to spiritual counsel 
and helpfulness are for ministers only. If so, they 
would be most impracticable, since as has been often 
remarked, the days are not long enough for the 
best pastors to do more than a fragment of the work 
needed in an average parish. It is the duty of all 
Christians to care for the religious interests of 
those about them. This may be readily admitted, 
but for lack of any system to bring it to pass, it 



126 Every-Day Evangelism 

win be as frankly conceded that very little per- 
sonal care Is given to such matters. How many 
Church members have made the least effort In this 
direction? The fault Is not wholly that of the 
many, however; It Is In part due to poor leader- 
ship, for the great majority of Christians, even 
of those who are not of much spiritual strength, 
would willingly do something to help those younger 
than themselves or newer to Church relationships. 
They do not understand just where to go or what 
to do, or they lack the power to set themselves at 
work. Under guidance they develop both Interest 
and ability. 

Another phase of Christian helpfulness is not 
to be overlooked when the conservation of the 
results of Christian effort Is being considered. 
"Strengthen thy brethren," was the Master's In- 
junction to Peter, prefaced by the words, "When 
thou hast turned again," a phrase which Is equiva- 
lent to the "About, face !" of a military command. 
A good many Christians need this word, "About, 
face!" They are headed the wrong way. To go 
forward In the direction of their present ambitions 
and spirit means defeat. Certainly they can never 
do the work of Christ or establish their brethren 
until they turn again. But others are of a better 
type. They may have had seasons of weakness or 



Following up Results 127 

of waywardness, but they saw the error they were 
making; they remembered Him who loved them, 
and who not only prayed that their faith might 
not fail, but died for them on Calvary's brow, and 
they turned that they might behold the face of 
their Savior, full of love and pardon, and that they 
might give to Him who redeemed them a new 
allegiance and service. They are now fit for duty, 
and can help others to put on the whole armor of 
Christ, and to enter His work with courage and 
devotion. If the committee has been well chosen, 
it contains a large proportion of such persons. 
And these may easily be directed to members who, 
though perhaps they have long been connected 
with the Church, need to be developed and settled 
by Christian inspiration and sympathy. The poor, 
in more senses than one, are always with us, by 
their condition, at least, making an earnest appeal 
for love and care. 

Let a wide distinction be made between false 
and feeble professors of religion. It is a mistake 
to suppose that there are many hypocrites in Chris- 
tian circles. For the greater part the inducements 
to hypocrites, who, of course, seek the main chance, 
are not within but without the pale of Church 
membership. The Church has a hundred ignorant, 
feeble, maimed, or diseased communicants for every 



128 Every-Day Evangelism 

person who may justly be suspected of hypocrisy. 
In modern times the Scribes may be in the Church, 
but the Pharisees are without. They have ceased 
making long prayers or speaking in the syna- 
gogues, and now write for the newspapers, make 
political speeches and address juries, thanking God 
that they are not like the poor publicans who go 
to Sunday-school and prayer-meeting, and seek the 
salvation of their souls. Full of self-righteous- 
ness, they pay an occasional small sum to the uses 
of charity or even of religion, but it is that they 
may boast of it for many days to come, until one 
might suppose that they and not the Church people 
were really supporting all the helpful institutions, 
philanthropic and Christian. At times, also, they 
are forced by circumstances and by very shame to 
say some good word of the Church, but they do 
this with a critical discrimination and with a con- 
descension which does not fail to give to themselves 
the place of superiority in judgment and virtue. 
The Church has few hypocrites. The dues and 
duties come too regularly ; the expectation of purity 
of speech and of conduct is too evident; the atti- 
tude, even of sinners, towards those who use re- 
ligion as a cloak, is very unpleasant. They rapidly 
weed themselves out and plant themselves in less 
exacting associations. 



Following up Results 129 

Weak members of the Church are of an alto- 
gether different nature. They are sincere in their 
profession of love for Christ. They honestly be- 
lieve in Christianity, and have been converted. But 
they are ignorant of many teachings of the Bible, 
and are defective in their own conceptions of right. 
Often they are feeble in will, as well as imperfect 
in knowledge, and having to contend both with 
inherited appetites for evil and with the habits of 
past years, they make poor work of serving God. 
They have their ups and downs, and it is fortunate, 
indeed, if they do not have their ins and outs. They 
are of various degrees of consciousness of their 
condition. But even when, as h often the case, 
they realize that they are very imperfect follow- 
ers of Christ, and wish they were as strong as they 
are weak, they hardly know what to do. They 
need advice from those who have passed through 
the same experience. They need the encourage- 
ment of more vigorous wills, as well as of better 
intelligence than their own. They need a com- 
panionship which will be both grateful and power- 
ful, exercising its influence in the direction of a 
better Christian life. By these means they may 
be brought into a stability of character and into a 
sturdiness of good conduct which, at length, will 
make it seem surprising that they could ever have 
9 



130 Every-Day Evangelism 

been so frail. Who is to help these helpless ones? 
Who but the Church. But the Church, as a whole, 
can not focus itself upon one individual, and the 
individual units of whom the Church is composed 
are apt to lose themselves in the presence of the 
many who require aid. Good intentions, multiplied 
into many fleeting impressions of duty, and into 
many kindly compassions, effect little. Even the 
weakest and faintest-hearted are left to work out 
their own salvation, receiving small portion of that 
good which is especially to be done to the house- 
hold of faith, and bearing without assistance their 
burdens of temptation. 

The survival not only of the fittest, but also 
of the unfit, is said to be the law of Christianity, 
but practice is too often at variance with this prin- 
ciple. If, however, the Church will maintain and 
use a department of personal work, taught to 
think of the salvation of others as well as of them- 
selves, and trained in methods of influence, this in- 
consistency will, to a great degree, cease, and those 
who have been perhaps for many years upon the 
rolls, but who are well known to be under the sway 
of old associations, addicted to bad habits, or of low 
spirituality and slight attachment to the flock of 
Christ, will be made the subjects of an unobtrusive 
but firm endeavor to increase their strength. 



Following up Results 181 

One of the figures by which the Christian life 
is set forth in the New Testament is that of a 
race. It is a good illustration, and the adjuration 
of St. Paul, "So run that ye may obtain," is for- 
ever timely. But material figures of spiritual truth 
break down when they are made to go on all fours. 
The Christian life is not a race in which, though 
many run, the prize is to be given to one only. It 
is a contest ii which one's adversary is not his 
fellow-runner, and in which there is a crown for all. 
And I take it he is surest to win who not only 
himself contests, but who coaches and encourages 
his friends, helping them up if they fall, and even, 
if need be, dragging them along by his side. Let 
at least some portion of the Church be brought to 
appreciate the beauty and glory of this work, and 
to give to its accomplishment their united thought 
and care, and out of the spirit of their labor and 
from its reproduction in others will grow a new 
and loving fraternity of which even Christ Him- 
self will not be ashamed. 



CHAPTER IX 
REFLEX INFLUENCES 

There is an old Sanskrit proverb that "He 
who sows corn, reaps holiness." If it be true that 
industry and honor in the common tasks of life 
are the foundation of character, how much more 
certain is it that Christian service Christianizes 
him who engages in it. 

"Men make work,'' said Mr. Drummond, "but 
work makes men. A workshop is not a place for 
making machinery ; it is a place for making souls, 
for fitting the virtues to one's life."^ That is the 
reason why a Church ought to be a workshop, and 
not a parlor. If its members are ever to possess 
the qualities of Christ, this salvation must be 
wrought out in serving God. But it is the effort 
we make for the salvation of others which most 
develops Christlikeness. Dante is represented as 
saying of his supreme achievement, "The labors of 
this work have made me lean.'' But spiritual lean- 



1 " Life of Henry Drummond,*' G. A. Smith, p. { 
132 



Reflex Influences 133 

ness does not come from striving to bring Christ 
into the lives of men, which is the highest act of 
Christian usefulness. Barrenness of soul is the 
fruit of indifference to the welfare of the unsaved, 
not of devotion to their good. 

The effects of personal work are marked, not 
only upon individuals who take part in it, but 
through them upon the Church as a whole. It is well 
known that teachers learn by imparting, that the 
artist improves both in skill and in ideals by the 
practice of his art, that the act of building creates 
architects, masons, carpenters, brickmakers, iron- 
workers, and taskers at every trade involved. So 
is it with the business of winning souls; one sure 
success of it is the worker's improvement. With 
grateful recognition he soon comes to acknowledge 
that God has done much for him in leading him to 
this service. 

**This my reward, development 
From what I am, — to what thou art 
By deeds reflexive, done in love." 

The Church which encourages personal work 
soon finds that there is large gain to its own life. 
This service can not long be rendered without 
prayerfulness. There will be a new sense and spirit 
of worship in the congregation. Social meetings 
will take on a new note. Formality will die out of 



134 Every-Day Evangelism 

thanksgivings and petitions. Prayer will be 
prayer, not recitation, and how much this means 
to the inner life of the Church no one can meas- 
ure. It is when the Church prays, that victories are 
won. "More things are wrought by prayer than 
this world dreams of." If it were asked what one 
thing would give greatest power to Christianity in 
all of its branches and assemblies, no better reply 
could be made than this, Strong confidence and in- 
terest in the practice of God's presence and in the 
results of waiting upon Him. The way to get 
this is to begin to pray for souls. The reason that 
in not a few instances prayer becomes monotonous 
and ceases, is that it is used for selfish ends and 
for objects of little worth. Let it be related to 
great issues and to eternal destinies, let it be felt 
that the lives of our friends depend upon it, and 
that by its use mighty forces, human and divine, 
may be brought to unite for their redemption, and 
it fires the heart and the lips tremble with its surg- 
ing passion. 

If they work and pray, they give. Remark 
has been made upon the freedom with which some 
Church members sustain secular causes and socie- 
ties, as compared with their support of the gospel 
and the institutions of Christianity. Very likely 
they have been called upon to bear some part of 



Reflex Influences 135 

the responsibility connected with the former, while 
as they have done nothing for the latter, their 
hearts are not touched when appeals are made. A 
form of baptism which takes hold of the pocket- 
book is work, especially if it be of that personal 
character which opens the fountains of love and 
good-will. Genuine prayer has the same effect. 
When bazaars and shows fail to provide sufficient 
revenue to run the Church, try prayer. It awakens 
conscience, deepens the sense of obligation, and 
quickens the functions of generosity. 

As a rule, people, and especially business men, 
are ready to support institutions which are doing 
things. They want results. They expect all 
agents of professed values to "deliver goods." 
Therefore, a Church which is manifestly alive to its 
supreme duty, and making accessions to the num- 
ber who follow Christ, will be sustained liberally, 
both by those who are in its active ranks, and by 
those who have confidence in its value to society. 
Such a Church will not need to be a beggar, 
going to the world with outstretched hand, appeal- 
ing for charity. It will be self-respecting and self- 
sustaining, so that when outsiders make donations 
to its enterprises they will do so, not on the basis 
of necessity, but in recognition of value, and with 
the thought that they are privileged in being 



136 Every-Day Evangelism 

permitted to aid an institution whose work is re- 
demptive. A little handful of Christians built up 
a numerous congregation and in a few years were 
housed in a splendid temple of worship, simply 
because it became evident to a large section of a 
great city that they were re-creating character and 
changing the complexion of the life about them. 
Every-day evangelism by personal work is itself 
a witness of Christ, and it makes a witnessing 
Church. Public testimony is a burden when there 
is little to say, but this is never true of those who 
frequently converse with their friends and asso- 
ciates about the Christian life. The wisdom of 
winning lives drives one to the Bible, and knowl- 
edge of the Scriptures, gained for such a purpose, 
equips one for any expression of religious truth. 
There is also a spirit of testimony which comes 
with the deed, and if this is gained in private it 
will be exercised in public. Many incidents occur 
in personal work, and many sayings are heard, 
which one can not easily, upon suitable occasions, 
refrain from passing on to others. The members 
of the Gideons, the national society of Christian 
traveling men, are usually heard from in any meet- 
ing which they attend, and they are very apt to 
enliven the service. The earnestness which they 
display, and the ability which many of them have 



Reflex Influences 137 

to stir up the audience which they address, is due to 
their constant practice of talking rehgion to their 
fellow-travelers. It is their experience frequently 
to receive hard knocks, and they may learn to 
give them. It is said that they sometimes "knock" 
in their prayer-meeting testimonies, but in most 
instances they do good, and leave the pastor wish- 
ing that his own members had the vigor, readiness 
of speech and knowledge, both of human life and 
of the Word of God, which such visitors have dis- 
played. This will be the case when they are led 
to train in the same school of service. There are 
few dull class-meetings, prayer-meetings, covenant 
or consecration meetings in a Church containing a 
large proportion of people who daily seek to bring 
others to acccept Christ. 

Those who are interested in evangelism at home 
will not need to be persuaded of the value of for- 
eign missions. The movement for world-wide evan- 
gelization has no better friends than are personal 
workers generally. The work of Christ is felt by 
them to be the same, whether it be done in the tem- 
perate zone or in the tropics; whether on one side 
of the sea or on the other; whether in the mother 
tongue or in strange languages. They give of 
their means and of their prayers. They encourage 
every undertaking which seems likely to increase 



138 Every-Day Evangelism 

general information, to win converts, or to develop 
liberality. There is a reciprocal relation in this 
matter. Evangelism has affinity for missions, 
understands its problem, and holds itself, to a great 
extent, responsible for its success. On the other 
hand, missions are very influential in strengthening 
the spirit which must labor for the lost. So that, 
almost without exception, a missionary Church is 
evangelistic, and per contra an evangelistic Church 
is always zealous for the extension of the kingdom 
of God. If we could get all Christendom busy 
preaching Christ, what missionary meetings and 
offerings would be seen, and how swiftly the Ufe- 
blood of the Church would flow out, even to the 
extremities of the earth. 

Personal work is a promoter, not a hinderer, of 
revivals, philanthropies, and reforms. It may be 
used by theorists as an excuse for not engaging in 
excellent and timely undertakings of such a char- 
acter, but this is rarely true of those who practice 
it. In their great task they come to feel the need 
of every form of aid. While they seek for them- 
selves and for the Church that there may be a con- 
tinuous life, which does not need revi\dng, but 
refreshing and deepening, they pray daily for a 
sweeping visitation when the masses shall turn to 
God. 



Reflex Influences 139 

Daily evangelism comes in contact with civic 
and industrial problemSj and while confident that 
man creates his environment, and not environment 
the man, yet believes that education, cleanliness, 
and good housing have their effect upon human 
conduct, and should be encouraged. And, of 
course, no one can seek to win lives to the Chris- 
tian faith and service who does not very quickly 
discover that the passions and appetites of the 
world stand in his way. He comes to abhor the 
saloon, the club, the dance hall, the theater, the 
lodge, and every social institution to the exact 
degree to which he finds that it exerts any immoral 
or anti-Christian influence over those whom he is 
seeking to reach, and in accordance with the char- 
acter of each of these, he opposes it, or seeks its 
improvement. One thing Christianity has not yet 
well learned, is that evil or questionable institutions 
are most effectively opposed by the substitution of 
something better. This wisdom comes slowly, and 
its application is expensive, but the principle, when 
sensibly tested, has always been found to hold 
good. The modern Church-home or parish-house, 
with club features, intellectual and physical bene- 
fits, and Christian fellowship, is one of the remedial 
measures which seems adapted to meet some of the 
needs of city life. The various Church societies 



140 Every-Day Evangelism 

of men and boys, of girls and women, of various 
classes and guilds, are attempts to counteract the 
evil influences of the unchristian community, and 
the most devout evangelist and seeker of the indi- 
vidual heart may very wisely study and assist all 
such movements, as in most instances he is very 
quick to do. 

One of the surest returns from a continuous 
effort to lead men to Christ is an increasing spirit 
of love. The love of God grows by its exercise, 
and one can not exert himself in any form of help- 
fulness to men without becoming more humane and 
catholic in sympathy. Above all, to seek the sal- 
vation of individuals, one at a time and for pro- 
longed periods of time, both requires love and 
produces it. One may, it is true, take up personal 
evangelism hastily and without much affection, but 
one of two alternatives will very speedily result; 
either he will fall in love with the work and with 
the subjects of it, or he will let the undertaking 
drop for something less taxing upon mind and 
heart. 

The great need is love. The Church is intended 
to be a company of kindred spirits bound to each 
other not merely by one faith, but by a common 
service, and by links forged in mutual helpful- 
ness. My own observation is that, while in purely 



Reflex Influences 141 

social undertakings there is abundant opportunity 
for ambitions, rivalries, jealousies, and general 
misunderstandings, the effort to win lives for Christ 
seems to allay such manifestations of selfishness, 
and to create a spirit of mutual respect and affec- 
tion. If one's thought is on this most important 
of all forms of Christian endeavor, there is neither 
time nor inclination for fault-finding, for differ- 
ences about offices, or for disputes about details of 
Church management. The individual fisher of men 
is loyal to Church and pastor, gentle, and easily 
pleased. The membership department may be re- 
lied upon to help to keep sweet and to sweeten the 
life of the whole society. As success comes to the 
effort to draw in new converts, and to strengthen 
and develop weak members of the body of Christ, 
very precious ties are formed between helpers and 
those whom they have helped, deepening the mystic 
force which unites the inner circle. What better 
thing could happen to any Church than to have in 
it many people who are looked upon by some of 
their fellow-members as those who brought them 
into Christian fellowship, restored them from back- 
sliding, or led them into a deeper experience or a 
new activity ? And will not they who have rendered 
such a service look upon the members whom they 
have helped as their brothers in Christ, for whom 



142 Every-Day Evangelism 

they will always entertain a special regard? Such 
relationships are not only in themselves pure and 
unselfish, but they constitute an asset of the greatest 
value to the kingdom of God. They are a cohesive 
power from which it is not easy to separate one's 
self. They are an inspiration, even enkindling new 
aiFection for Christ and for the Church, and creat- 
ing a determination to walk in the ways of duty and 
of opportunity. 

In its beginnings the Christian Church was a 
brotherhood, and to this ideal there seem to be in- 
dications of return. The purely individualistic 
conception of religion is passing. Each person 
must still seek and work out his own salvation, 
striving for his life's sake to "enter in at the 
straight gate," "to walk worthily of the Lord unto 
all pleasing," and to be "faithful unto death, that 
he may receive a crown of life." But we are learn- 
ing that this implies a union of purpose and of 
effort. "No man liveth unto himself." We are 
necessary to each other. Our own good we must 
seek and find in the good of our fellow-men. No one 
can be saved alone ; no one is a saved soul if he has 
not been born into that life from above, which 
once for all, and always, is given for men. With 
increasing emphasis this teaching is uttered in 
pulpit and urged in print. What is needed in 



Reflex Influences 148 

order to make humanity a great fraternity ? First 
of all, the fraternal spirit must conquer and con- 
trol the body of Christ. The members of this body 
must be related to each other by such mutual acts 
of love as bind those who perform them into a 
living unity, to be defended at all hazards and not 
to be dissevered without pain and loss. As the body 
grows and with effort takes in new material, this 
must be assimilated and filled with the spirit which 
animates the whole. Then with increased strength 
this process must be repeated, until at length the 
entire race becomes the body of Christ, and there 
dawns the day of Christian brotherhood, of uni- 
versal peace and good-will, of the realized kingdom 
of God. 

Is this a dream .^ It is the dream of the Son 
of man, of the Seer of Galilee, of Heavenly Love. 
Is there any corresponding reality.^ The Church 
has many members who are not brothers, who do 
not respond to the inner obligations and opportuni- 
ties of the Christian life, and who exploit the world 
outside for their own advantage with as little re- 
gard for human rights and needs as the law per- 
mits. There are also many members who are inert, 
dormant, anaemic, loveless ; they do not strengthen 
or add to the body of Christ ; they retard its growth 
and delay its great conquest. But a membership 



144 Every-Uay Evangelism 

of another kind is found in the Church. It is the 
hving tissue of the body ; its veins pulsate the blood 
of the Crucified; its heart is warm with Calvary's 
supreme passion; it is exerting power within and 
without the limits of Cliristendom. It is this mem- 
bership whose increase is the hope of the world 
and the leaven of its society, and it is recruited 
from the ranks of those who are led into Christian 
activity. Those who have ever held in their arms a 
child of their very own, do not need to be told 
what love and holy purpose comes that moment 
surging into the heart. There is nothing whose 
transforming influence is so powerful, unless it be 
the experience of saving a life which is en- 
dangered. How the soul leaps into a new being 
with even the attempt to rescue one who is in peril ! 
Both of these great inspirations come to those who 
are drawn into personal work. The lives which 
they lead to Christ, or restore from the mortal 
hazards of their backslidings, bring to them not 
only joy, but a high determination to win others 
from sin and to give their best powers to the uses 
of God's kingdom. Let every eff*ort be made to 
bring all Christians Into this service, for they who 
win souls are enlarged within and become creators 
of the great Future. 



CHAPTER X 
TOPICS AND OUTLINES 

The following topics and brief sketches of 
addresses have been used in teaching work of the 
kind described in this book. As has already been 
remarked, they are offered merely as illustrations. 
Other themes and other combinations of those 
named will probably be just as useful. As to sub- 
divisions of a topic, it is far better for one to make 
his own than to depend on any which are made to 
hand. But there is no copyright on any thought 
which may be adopted from others and which may 
be helpfully employed in making one's own out- 
line. These topics have been selected with a view 
to variety, and they are intended for use at monthly 
meetings of membership workers. 

Instruction Themes. 
Series I. 
I. Why Should Christians Seek the Conver- 
sion of Others.? 
10 145 



146 Every-Day Evangelism 

II. How to Win Others to the Christian Life. 

III. The Use of the Bible in Personal Work. 
IV. Qualifications for Success in Leading our 

Friends to Christ. 
V. How to Begin a Life-winning Effort. 
VI. Helps to be Obtained in Seeking the Salva- 
tion of Others. 
VII. Scriptural Examples of Personal Work. 
VIII. Famous Soul-winners and What They 
Teach Us. 
IX. Difficulties to be Overcome in Seeking the 
Lost. 
X. Co-operation in Bringing Men to Christ. 

Series II. 

I. WTiy Are Not All Men Christians?' 

II. Why Are Many Christians Inactive.? 
III. The Profits of Personal Work. 

IV. How to Increase the Number of Soul- 

winners. 

V. Recruiting the Ranks of Church Workers. 

VI. What Shall Be Done for the BacksHdden.? 

VII. How to Increase Church Attendance. 

VIII. The Boy and the Church. 

IX. Invitations and Welcomes. 

X. The Reflexes of Personal Work. 



Topics and Outlines 147 

Series III. 
General Topic — Personal Evangelism. 

I. Its Need. VII. Its Hardest 

II. Its Aims. Tasks. 

III. Its Methods. VIII. Its Encourage- 

IV. Its Spirit. ments. 

V. Its Aids. IX. Its Failures. 

VI. Its Best Exam- X.- Its Friendships. 

pies. 

Series IV. 
The topics given here are selected from those 
'used by Mr. Spurgeon in addresses to his people, to 
young preachers, to Sunday-school workers and 
others, and which are collected in his book, "The 
Soul Winner." 

I. What Is It to Win a Soul? 

II. Qualifications for Soul-winning — God- 

ward. 

III. Qualifications for Soul-winning — Man- 

ward. 
IV. Obstacles to Soul-winning. 
V. How to Raise the Dead. 

VI. The Cost of Being a Soul-winner. 

VII. The Soul-winner's Reward. 

VIII. The Soul-winner's Life and Work. 
IX. Soul-saving Our One Business. 
X. Encouragement to Soul-winners. 



148 Every-Day Evangelism 

Series V. 
Topics Based on Scripture Texts. 

I. Wisdom in Soul-winning — Proverbs xi, 30. 
II. Fishers of Men — Matthew iv, 19. 
III. Beginning at Home — John i, 41. 
IV. Bringing the Children to Christ- — Ephe- 
sians vi, 4. 
V. The Wide Field— Mark xvi, 15. 
VI. The Divine Example — ^Luke xix, 10. 
VII. The Passion for Souls — 1 Corinthians 
ix, 22. 
VIII. An Instance of Continuous Evangelism — 
Acts ii, 47. 
IX. The Results of Converting a Sinner — 
James v, 20. 
X. The Joy of Reaping — Psalms cxxvl, 6. 

Series VI. 

Studies of the following Scriptural examples 
of personal work could hardly help being most 
profitable to any company of Christians: 

I. Personal Influence Used for Christ — 

John i, 35-39. 
II. The Consecration of Human Ties — 

John i, 40-42. 
III. Seeking a Good Man's Conversion — 

John i, 43-46. 



Topics and Outlines 149 

IV. Explaining the Way of Life — 

John iii, 1-21. 
V. Teaching the Outcast — John iv, 5-26. 
VI. A Grateful Woman's Work — 

John Iv, 28-42. 
VII. The Winning of an Ethiopian — 

Acts viii, 26-39. 
VIII. A Soul-winner's Great Commission — 

Acts ix, 10-22. 
IX. Riverside Sowing — Acts xvi, 12-15. 
X. The Use of a Crisis— Acts xvi, 25-33. 

Series VII. 

The following topics need not be treated from 
a purely intellectual standpoint. There is room 
for much psychological study on the part of Chris- 
tian workers, but the teaching of a general class 
should never be technical, but simple and feeling. 
"With the heart man believeth unto righteousness." 

I. Preparation of Mind for Exerting Chris- 
tian Influence. 
II. The Study of the Humanities. 

III. Types of Mind to be Met with in Personal 

Work. 

IV. Eff^ects of Our Attitudes of Mind Upon 

Others. 



150 Every-Day Evangelism 

V. The Power of Suggestion. 

VI. Motives which Tend Christward. 

VII. What One Must Know to Become a Chris- 
tian. 

VIII. Christ's Psychological Methods. 

IX. Knowledge and Character. 

X. Knowledge and Love. 

Series VIII. 

The following themes are taken from the chap- 
ter titles of Dr. R. A. Torrey's book, "How to 
Bring Men to Christ:" 

I. General Conditions of Success. 
II. How to Begin. 
III. Dealing with the Indifferent or Careless. 
IV. Dealing with Those Who are Anxious to 
be Saved, but do not Know How. 
V. Dealing with Those Who Have Difficulties. 
VI. Dealing with Those Who Entertain False 
Hopes. 
VII. Dealing with Professed Skeptics and In- 
fidels. 
VIII. Dealing with Those Who wish to Put Off 
Decision. 
IX. Dealing with the Willful and the Deluded. 
X, Hints and Suggestions. 



Topics and Outlines 151 

Series IX. 

This list of topics is taken from chapter titles 
of the book, "Catching Men," by J. P. Brushing- 
ham, D. D., and other writers: 

I. The Power of Prayer in Soul-winning. 
II. Child Evangelism. 
III. Decision Day. 
IV. Remarkable Conversions. 

V. Street Evangelism. 
VI. Preaching the Evangel. 
VII. The Every-day Evangelist. 
VIII. The Personal Religious Touch. 
IX. Theory and Practice in Soul-winning. 
X. Thoroughgoing Evangelism. 

Series X. 

These themes are some of those used by Charles 
L. Goodell, D. D., in his work on "Pastoral and 
Personal Evangelism :" 
I. The Present Call. 
II. The Price of Power. 
III. The Unexpected Harv^est. 
IV. The Yearning Soul. 

V. Laymen in Evangelism. 
VI. The Preparation of Prayer. 
VII. Ways of Reaching the Young. 



152 Every-Day Evangelism 

VIII. After Decision Day. 
IX. The Development of Christian Experience. 
X. The Evangelistic Reward. 

Series XI. 

From the titles and phrases of "Individual 
Work for Individuals," by H. Clay Trumbull, the 
following list is made: 

I. Why is Work for Single Souls a Duty.? 

II. Won to Christ by a Letter. 

III. A Life Resolve to Do Individual Work. 

IV. Speaking to a Traveling Companion. 

V. Faithfulness to a Fellow Boarder. 

VI. Winning Those Met at Church. 

VII. Why is Personal Work so Neglected.? 

VIII. Influence on Others of Personal Conviction. 

IX. The Spiritual Telephone — Prayer. 

X. Sharpshooters at Single Individuals. 

Series XII. 

The following are suggested in Dr. Cuyler's 
"Campaigning for Christ," and in the "Great 
Commission," by Wentworth F. Stewart: 
I. Pivot Battles. 
II. God as a Rewarder. 
III. Fruitful Christians. 



Topics and Outlines 153 

IV. Jesus Christ for Everybody. 

V. The Problem of Indifference. 

VI. A Life-Giving Gospel Demands a Life- 
Saving Church. 

VII. Power for Service. 

VIII. Take Christ to Men. 

IX. Abiding Evangelism. 

X. The All-Commanding Commission. 

Outlines of Addresses. 

Only a few of these are presented, since it is 
better as a rule for the teacher to make his own 
sketch for each talk which he gives. Of course, if 
one uses the whole outline of another, or a large 
part of it, he will give credit. 

Why Christians Should Seek the Conversion of 
Others. 

I. Jesus did This. — ^Luke xix, 10. 
II. He commanded His followers to evangelize 
the world. — Matt, xxviii, 19, 20, 
III. We are moved by respect and by affection 

for Christ.— 2 Cor. v, 11, 14, 20. 
IV. Divine mercy and grace deserve this re- 
turn.— Psa. H, 12, 13. 
V. The condition of the unsaved appeals to 
us. — Eph. ii, 12. 



154 Every-Day Evangelism 

VI. In this way great good is brought to men. 
— Jas. v, 20. 
VII. Christ is our fellow-laborer in this work. — 
Mark xvi, 20. 

Preparation Needed for Personal WorTa. 

I. A true and deep personal experience. 
II. A good working knowledge of God's Word. 
III. A study of biographies of great personal 

workers. 
IV. Reading the literature about this service, 
accounts of revivals, and especially illus- 
trations of hand-to-hand work in the 
field of every-day evangelism. 
V. Prayer. 

1. For the right spirit. 

2. For guidance to the right person. 

3. For wisdom as to speech, methods, 

and securing assistance. 

4. For help, by the Spirit's presence in 

my own heart and in the heart of 
the one for whom I am working. 

Methods of Reaching Souls. 

I. The prayer method, which is often the 
most direct way to the unsaved. 



Topics and Outlines 155 

II. The use of literature, tracts, papers, books ; 

always to be wisely chosen and attractive 

in appearance. 
III. Correspondence. The method for distance 

and chance shots. 
IV. Direct approach is : 

1. The method usually employed by 

Christ. 

2. Is the most personal and magnetic 

appeal. 

3. In multiplied instances succeeds. 

Co-Operation in Reaching Men. 

I. Importance of Personal Workers' Bands. 
Mutual information and inspiration. 
II. United Prayer. 
III. Securing the aid of others who have influ- 
ence. 

1. Pastor. 

2. Sunday-school teachers. 

3. Relatives. 

4. Friends. 

5. Business associates. 

Natural leaders and key spirits to 
be considered. 
IV. Assistance without interference. 



156 Every-Day Evangelism 

V. Going together. Illustrations of combined 
influence. 

Types of Mind Met in Every-day Evangelism, 

I. Importance of studying human nature. 
II. Varieties of mind due to: 

1. Disposition. 

2. Early training. 

3. Education. 

4. Environment. 

5. Life experiences. 
III. How to deal with : 

1. The timid. 

2. The doubtful. 

3. The indifferent. 

4. The prejudiced. 

5. The stubborn. 

6. The bitter and hostile. 

IV. The gospel adaptable to every type of 
mind and life. 
V. The universal secret of success is love 
which persists. 

Weak Christians and How They Are Made Strong. 

I. The weakness of Christ's disciples a great 
evil. 
II. Causes of low spiritual states. 



Topics and Outlines 157 

III. The divine remedy. 

IV. How may we bring our fellow Christians 
into a better experience ? 

1. By charity and sympathy. 

2. By the strength and attractiveness of 

our own consecration. 

3. By kindly instruction and sugges- 

tion. 

4. By enlisting them in some congenial 

Christian work. 

5. By the offices of prayer and true 

friendship. 
V. The great power of a Church made strong 
in all of its members. 

Old Church Letters. 

I. The large number of former members not 

now in Church connection. 

II. The evil effect of this fact upon the persons 

themselves and upon the kingdom of 

Christ. 

III. Reasons for dormant Church membership. 

1. Love grown cold. 

2. Sin in the life. 

3. Neglect of transferring membership 

when moving. 



158 Every-Day Evangelism 

4. Timidity and sense of strangeness in 

a new place of residence. 

5. Church tramping. 

6. Lack of attention from Christian 

neighbors and from Churches. 

7. Misunderstanding of the financial 

requirements of city Churches. 
IV. How may these people be found? 

1. By a Church canvass. 

2. By watching the new houses, and the 

changes in old ones in our neigh- 
borhood. 

3. By judicious conversation in social 

gatherings. 

4. By meeting and questioning the 

visitors at Church. 
V. They may be won back, and the letters 
gotten from the trunk or from the dis- 
tant old home. 

1. By personal solicitation. 

2. By securing the co-operation of 

others. 

5. By attention and kindness. 



CHAPTER XI 
ILLUSTRATIVE INCIDENTS 

It is not as easy as it may be thought to find 
authentic, definite, and well stated accounts of the 
communications which take place between the indi- 
vidual who presents and the one who accepts Christ. 
For one reason, these incidents do not occur as often 
as should be the case ; moreover, the best messengers 
and apostles of God's grace to others are more con- 
cerned in the deed itself than in its recording. A 
few of those who have sought and gained access 
to the secret places where decisions are made have 
taken pains to preserve notes of their work. Others 
in public addresses have related experiences which 
they have had, and from reports of sermons and 
meetings such material may be gathered. 

From various publications the following illus- 
trations of apparently successful soul-winning have 
been culled. Those examples only have been 
selected in which some portion of the actual con- 
versation is preserved. It has also been the aim to 
present cases which have teaching value, being 

159 



160 Every-Day Evangelism 

distinguished for method, manner, timeliness, or 
for the spirit shown. All narratives of this nature 
are more or less incomplete. Unimportant matters 
are omitted and only the essential and vital is pre- 
served. As the Church becomes more fully con- 
vinced of the absolute necessity of personal every- 
day evangelism, and as its members are drawn into 
this exalted service, such items of history will 
increase in number as well as in instructiveness. 

It Is, of course, to be understood that the head- 
ings, which are in the nature of comments and of 
commendation, are not those of the authors of 
experiences told. 

GEORGE SOLTAU. 

An Offer of Regeneration. 

A young man who had flung his life away In 
every form of sinful indulgence was brought to me 
by a friend of his for a talk in one of the colonies. 
He was In the local hospital, an Incurable case of 
damaged constitution, — mentally, morally, physic- 
ally. After a little general talk I said to him, 
"If God were to speak to you audibly and were to 
say to you, What would you like Me to do for 
you?' what would your answer be?" After think- 
ing some little time, he said, "I would ask Him to 
make me all over again ; that Is my only hope, but 



Illustrative Incidents 161 

then, that is impossible." Unconsciously he had 
hit the very point, and had, in his way, said, 'Ye 
must be born again.' I explained to him, to his 
utter surprise, that what he said was the very thing 
I was authorized to offer him. At first he was 
amazed, then he listened, and bringing up his dif- 
ficulties one by one, he saw them disappear before 
the presentation of the truth of the gift of the new 
life. After a talk, in which he had a mental 
perception of the way of life, we knelt down that 
he might receive the new birth. He confessed Christ 
as Lord, as a convicted lost sinner. In a very few 
minutes the light broke in, the life was given, the 
crisis point was turned, and he went away a new 
creature in Christ Jesus. 

From "The Crisis Fact in Conversion," address 
in Daily Bible, March, 1907. 

H. WELLINGTON WOOD. 

Putting the Truth Plainly. 

One evening I was sent for by the mother of a 
physician, who wished me to talk to him. He was 
intoxicated and had been making threats. "Doctor, 
I am surprised to find you in this condition," I 
said, when I saw him. "There is only one hope for 
you, and that is to depend upon the Lord to give 
you strength to overcome this appetite." We did n't 
11 



162 Every-Day Evangelism 

stand on any ceremony, and I asked him to kneel 
with me for prayer. His prayer was one of the 
best that I have ever heard, in spite of his condi- 
tion. When he arose he was entirely sober. His 
first word was : 

* ^Mother, I have been worrying you almost to 
death with my conduct. I have been anything else 
than a dutiful son; but God helping me, I shall 
hereafter strive to give you the comfort you need." 

The doctor has since won some forty souls for 
his Master. He has been severely tempted and tried, 
but he is still trusting in the Savior who is able 
to save to the uttermost. He is living with his 
mother, from whom he had been separated because 
of his conduct. (The evening when I was per- 
mitted to lead him to Christ, he was at home for a 
visit. ) 

A Wise Introduction. 

While taking lunch with a friend at a restau- 
rant, I said to the waitress when she took our 
order : 

"Are you acquainted with our Friend?" 
Of course she was surprised till I explained 
that I referred to Jesus Christ, and added: 

"We want to recommend Him to you to-day." 
She went off to get our order and returned 



Illustrative Incidents 163 

about fifteen minutes later. While putting the 
food on the table, she told us that after she had 
grown to womanhood, careless habits and indiffer- 
ent companions had led her off and kept her away 
from God. 

While we were eating, she said: "I will take 
Jesus Christ as my Savior, and will promise you, 
before your friend, that I will love Him and serve 
Him and will join the Church." 

Two weeks later I was told that she had not 
only come into the Church herself, but had brought 
her husband with her, and that both became, not 
only workers, but loyal supporters. 

A Conversation Artfully Begun and Conducted. 

While on the way to Canada, I asked the 
porter to make up my berth, and took my seat for 
a little while with a passenger, whom I learned was 
a New York business man. After talking about 
the topics of the day, I said to him : 

"Well, I presume you will retire soon. One 
doesn't have much opportunity, — does he.^ — to 
kneel down and thank his Lord in these berths." 

"Thank the Lord !" he answered. "I hope you 
have gotten beyond that idea ! But from your 
conversation, I judge that you are inclined to be 
religious." 



164 Every-Day Evangelism 

"I hope the day will never come when I shall 
be too tired to kneel in the most high or lowly 
place to thank my God, who suppHes all my needs 
according to His riches in Christ Jesus," I said. 

"Look here," was his next word, "I do n't like 
to hear such stuff. I was once a member of the 
Church, but I am very glad that I am outside of 
it to-day. There are lots of hypocrites in the 
Church. Religion is good enough for little chil- 
dren and for the aged, but I do n't want any of it. 
I have been cheated and defrauded by members of 
the Church, and now I dislike the very name of 
religion !" 

"For the sake of argument," I said, "I will 
admit that there are some people in the Church 
who do n't live up to their high privileges, but let 
me ask you questions to which I hope you will give 
frank answers. God has blessed you with health, 
strength, and vigor, and has prospered you in 
business and has kept your family intact. Now, 
do you think that j'ou have been right in taking 
a stand of this kind? Doubtless you have a bank 
in your town?" 

"Yes," he said, "and I carry a large bank ac- 
count, for the firm that I represent does a splendid 
business, and the}^ bank considerable money." 

"Well," I continued, "suppose to-morrow you 



Illustrative Incidents 165 

go to your bank to make a deposit. The teller, in 
checking up your slip, discovers a counterfeit five- 
dollar bill. Will he say to you, Mr. Blank, take all 
this money back ; I can not receive it, because there 
is one counterfeit bill in it? Or, does he simply 
say, Mr. Blank, I regret very much that you have 
received a counterfeit bill from some one ; I trust 
that you may be fortunate enough to discover his 
identity.?" 

"Why," he answered, thoughtfully, "I see your 
point; he certainly would do the latter." 

"Then, because the Church has been unfor- 
tunate in receiving into its membership a counter- 
feit, is it any reason that you should condemn the 
whole Church.? In Matt, vii, 22, 23, we read, 
'Many will say to me in that day. Lord, Lord, 
have we not prophesied in Thy name.? and In Thy 
name have cast out devils.? and in Thy name done 
many wonderful works.? And then will I [remem- 
ber, it is Jesus Christ who speaks] profess unto 
them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that 
work iniquity.' 

"My friend, I am going to bid you good-night ; 
but there is one thing you can not keep me from 
doing. I am going into my berth and there kneel 
and ask our Heavenly Father to water the seed 
sown to-night." 



166 Every-Day Evangelism 

"Well,'' he said, "that 's all right ; you can do 
just as you please about that." 

I bade him good-night, for it was then about 
twelve o'clock. The next morning at about seven, 
a friend who was accompanying me had risen early 
and was sitting looking out of the car window and 
humming over some hymn tunes. The gentleman 
with whom I had talked the night before asked me 
if he would lend him a hymn-book. Thus it hap- 
pened that while I was kneeling in prayer that 
morning, I heard from the end of the car the words 
of the Glory Song : 

^'When all my labors and trials are o'er 
And I am safe on that beautiful shore, 
Just to be near the dear Lord I adore, 
Will through the ages be glory for me.'^ 

I hurriedly dressed, and going down to the end 
of the car, said : "Well, friend, how is it that you 
are singing that beautiful hymn this morning. ?" 

He told me that the five-dollar bill had kept 
him awake all night; that the Lord had visited 
him, and that now he felt like a different man, and 
was going home and back into the Church. 

Then we sang hymns of praise while we 
traveled nearly forty miles. The porter (who had 
only two weeks before buried his wife) came along 
and we invited him to join. He replied very much 



Illustrative Incidents 167 

as did the man who was now singing with me. I 
asked him if he had found anybody more reliable 
than the Lord Jesus Christ, and if he had not found 
men very unreliable. He said this was so. Then 
I told him the first convert won by personal work 
was the Ethiopian eunuch. 

After reading some Scripture, we all knelt 
together and had a short prayer service, and the 
porter confessed Christ. 

"Winning Men One by One," copyright, 1908, 
by H. Wellington Wood, used by permission, con- 
tains the above given accounts. 

HARLAN PAGE. 

Searching Personal Questions Asked. 

To a young lady with whom he had become 
acquainted, Mr. Page, in successive interviews, put 
such queries as the following: 

"Are you a professor of religion?" "Have you 
an interest in Christ.?" "Do you think an interest 
in Christ desirable?" "Have you sought to obtain 
it?" "Have you renounced the world, and resolved 
to live for the glory of God?" "Can you give me 
a reason why you have not?" "The impressions 
made on my mind by repeated conversations, were 
such," she said, "that I could not rest until I had 
found rest in Christ." 



168 Every-Day Evangelism 

Striking Method of Awakening Spiritual Concern. 

To a young merchant who seemed not far from 
the kingdom, Mr. Page said: "Have you a hope?" 
"No, sir," was the reply. "Then," he persisted, 
"I am to put down your name as having no hope." 
"Yes, sir." "Well," said he, suiting the action to 
the word, "I write down your name as having no 
hope." The young man thought on this record 
of his spiritual condition, and became troubled. He 
came to Mr. Page and said: "I told you to put 
me down as having no hope, but I can't say that." 
They had further conversation and soon the young 
man was a member of the Church and one of the 
firm supporters of Christian work. 

Saving Persistence. 

The letter of a young clergyman, respecting his 
own conversion through the influence of Harlan 
Page, gives another illustration of the fidelity and 
methods of this eminent personal worker. "His 
words," declares the writer, "sank down deep into 
my heart. They were strange words, for though 
I had lived among professors of religion, he was 
the first who, for nine or ten years, had taken me 
by the hand and kindly asked, 'Are you a Chris- 
tian? Do you intend to be a Christian? Why not 
now?' He gave me a tract, 'Way to be Saved,' 
which deepened my impressions. At his request I 



Illustrative Incidents 169 

also attended a prayer-meeting conducted by him, 
where my soul was bowed down and groaned under 
the load of my guilt. At the close of the meeting 
Mr. Page took my arm as we proceeded on our 
way to our respective homes, and urged upon me 
the duty and privilege of an immediate surrender 
of my heart to Christ. As we were about to part 
he held my hand, and at the corner of the street, 
in a windy night, stood pleading with me to repent 
of sin and submit to God. I returned to my home, 
and for the first time in many years bowed my 
knees in my chamber before God and entered into 
a solemn covenant to serve Him henceforth in and 
through the Gospel of His Son." 

The above accounts are found in "Narratives 
of Remarkable Conversions and Revival Incidents." 
— Conant. 

H. CLAY TRUMBULL. 

Applies Test for Sincerity, and Explains the 
Rights of Faith, 

In the early evening we found ourselves at a 
small hotel, where we were to rest for awhile. My 
companion was different from any one with whom 
I had ever conversed personally on the theme of 
themes. He had not been while a child under the 
religious training and influences with which I was 
most familiar. 



170 Every-Day Evangelism 

"My friend, would you like to be saved?" I 
asked at the start. 

"Indeed, I would," he replied. 

"Do you think you can save yourself .f^" 

"I certainly do not," was his response. 

"Do you know of any savior to be trusted ex- 
cept One?" 

"I do not," he said, heartily. 

"Well, now," I said, "there is no necessity of 
your reading any books on the subject to learn the 
way of salvation. Let me see, here and now, if you 
are willing to be saved by the one Savior in His 
own way. Understand that I do not make any 
conditions or requirements of conduct or of prac- 
tice in order for you to be saved; but I will ask 
you this question in order to ascertain your atti- 
tude toward this whole subject. Suppose that you 
were to find that Jesus Christ wanted you to refrain 
from drinking, from smoking, from card-playing, 
from theater-going, and from much that accom- 
panies these things, would you give them all up or 
would you feel that there were some of these things 
that you could not refrain from?" 

My friend thought the matter over with evident 
seriousness, and then he gave this intelligent 
answer : 

"Well, Mr. Trumbull, there are some of those 



Illustrative Incidents 171 

things that I might have different views from your- 
self about; but if I were convinced that Jesus 
Christ wanted me to refrain from any one of those 
things, or from them all, I should be willing to 
conform my conduct to His wish." 

"That 's all I want to know," I said. "I lay 
down no requirements. I want Him who is to be 
your Savior to be your Guide. Now just go to 
your room and kneel down before the Lord, and 
tell Him how it is. Tell Him that you need a 
Savior, that you do not know any Savior other than 
Himself, and that you want Him to save you. Tell 
Him that you are willing to put yourself into His 
hands, that you will conform your conduct and 
course to His wishes, and that you want to trust 
Him." 

Pressing each other's hands, we parted for 
the night. Of course I prayed for him, but I 
prayed trustfully. When I met him the next morn- 
ing I asked him if he had done as he promised to. 
As he said that he had, I inquired if he felt that 
the Savior had accepted him. 

"I do n't suppose that He has yet," was his 
reply. 

"Why not?" I inquired. 

"I do n't suppose that Jesus Christ would ac- 
cept me at once," he said. 



172 Every-Day Evangelism 

"Well, then, the responsibility is with Him. I 
do n't see that you have anything more to do about 
it," was my reply. 

"What do you mean?" he asked, with a sur- 
prised look. 

"Why, if you have gone to the only Savior 
there is, and have offered yourself to Him, telling 
Him you are willing to shape your course by His 
directions, and He is not ready to accept you, but 
wants to wait awhile, there seems to be nothing else 
for you to do." 

"Do 3^ou mean," he asked, "that I ought to 
believe that Jesus Christ at once accepts me, and 
that I can fully trust Him now as my Savior?" 

"That certainly is the way I understand it," I 
said. "I can't see any other way. It seems to be 
that or nothing." 

"Then I '11 do that," he said, earnestly, and he 
evidently meant what he said. From that hour he 
was an earnest, devoted follower of Christ, as I was 
familiar with him for years. 

Talks Plainly and Lomngly to a BacJcslidden 
Soldier, 

When first I joined my regiment in North 
Carolina, I found there a young lieutenant whom 
I had known as an active, earnest Christian worker 



Illustrative Incidents 173 

in his Connecticut home. As I was looking up the 
members of my new charge I called on him in his 
tent, and said something of my hope to have his 
help in work for my Master. 

"N05 no. Chaplain," said he, "I Ve given up 
all that stuff. I know now that there 's no truth in 
it, and I do n't want to hear a word on the subject." 

"You are not saying now what you believe, 
Lieutenant." 

"What do you mean. Chaplain.^" 

"I mean that I know you well enough to under- 
stand that what you said and did for years in 
your faithful Christian work and in your Sunday- 
school teaching has not been given up by you out 
of your inmost heart. You can talk this way to me 
now to try to stiffen up your courage of resist- 
ance, but when the camp is quiet, and you are 
alone on your bunk in the darkness, you would 
never talk in this way to your God, who you know 
is near you always." 

"Well," he said, somewhat more gently, "I 
do n't want to talk about this subject, at any rate." 

"But I must talk about it," I said. "It 's very 
real to me. And I 'm here because of my belief. I 
love you too dearly to refrain from speaking to 
you and urging you to come back to your old 
love, and faith, and duty, and joy." 



174 Every-Day Evangelism 

Weeks passed on. When I saw the lieutenant 
In his tent I would show him that I, at least, had n't 
lost my faith ; yet I refrained from provoking any 
discussion on the subject. He seemed to be grateful 
for my Interest In him, and he never again gave 
an expression of his unbelief, nor did he say that 
which would jar on me. I tried to reach him by 
Indirect means, In talking about former Interests 
and persons connected with our work together for 
our common Master. In this way, at times, the 
truth we had both then held dear would come Into 
prominence, but no word of unpleasant dIflPerence 
was a result. 

After a little there came on a battle In which 
our regiment lost severely. Several temporary hos- 
pitals were opened In small dwelling-houses In dif- 
ferent parts of the field of action. As I was oc- 
cupied In one of these hospitals, I heard that my 
lieutenant friend lay wounded In another. As soon 
as I had opportunity I went over to see him. His 
right leg had been amputated near the hip. He 
lay on a cot among many wounded. Looking up 
as I approached, he said cheerily: 

"The Lord has got me, Chaplain. I would n't 
serve Him with two legs, so he took away one. But 
now I '11 be more of a man with one leg than I was 
with two." 



Illustrative Incidents 175 

Then as I spoke warmly of my sympathy with 
and interest in him, he told of his experience and 
feelings. 

"As my leg went out from under me, and I 
felt I was gone, I said, ^The Lord 's got me, and 
I 'm glad of it.' You were right, Chaplain, that 
day you came to my tent first. I never really gave 
up my belief, or had any rest in my life trying to 
live without faith. And now I believe I shall live 
nearer the Lord than ever, and have more comfort 
in Him." 

Both of the above incidents are from "Indi- 
vidual Work for Individuals," Trumbull, p. 62 
and p. 77. 

M. A. HUDSON. 

Is Driven Into Soul-winning — Frank Earnestness 
Succeeds. 

Twenty-five years ago a young man of thirty- 
three was addressing his first public meeting on 
the subject of religion. He had been just four 
weeks a Christian. Because he was well-known 
commercially, the Young Men's Christian Associa- 
tion hall, where he was to speak, was crowded with 
merchants and clerks. Telling with enthusiasm of 
his new-found Savior, the young convert said that 
Christian people ought to speak of Christ to others 



176 Every-Day Evangelism 

oftener than they do, and seek to win men Indi- 
vidually to Christ. 

"If you know a man whom God tells you to 
speak to, and to whom you feel you can't go your- 
self," said he, "send some one else after him. I did 
that very thing last week." 

This was in Syracuse, In the audience sat 
George G. Truair, then and for many years after- 
ward editor of the Syracuse Evening Journal. As 
the speaker reached this point, Mr. Truair arose 
suddenly to his feet and called out : "Mr. Hudson, 
you are young in the Christian life yet, and I want 
to ask you a question. Did the man you sent to 
the other man to whom God had told you to go and 
speak, bring him to Christ?" 

"No, he was not ready," was the answer, 

"He never will be ready," came the quick retort 
from the man on the floor, "and he never will be a 
Christian until you go yourself and ask him to 
come. If God had wanted some one else to speak 
to that man, God would have spoken to some one 
else instead of to you. Now," continued the editor, 
turning and facing the audience of men, attentive 
and curious at the unexpected turn that things had 
taken, "how many of you will promise to pray for 
Mr. Hudson at ten o'clock to-morrow morning 
while he goes himself and wins that man to Christ.?" 



Illustrative Incidents 177 

An army of men raised their hands, and the 
young convert was squarely in for it. Ten o'clock 
the next morning came all too soon. He passed 
and repassed the door of the business building 
where his man worked before he could screw up 
courage enough to enter. Then he marched in. 
His man, a book-binder, working over a ledger in 
the far corner of the room, had evidently seen him 
coming, for he greeted the visitor by name as he 
came alongside without looking up from his work. 

"I Ve come on a queer errand," said Hudson, 
awkwardly. "I have been a Christian, you know, 
only a few weeks ; it is a hard thing for me to come 
and talk with you about this, but it means so much 
to me that I want to know if you will not make the 
decision this morning and give your heart to 
Christ." 

He stopped. There was no answer; the man 
went on at his work, still without looking up. The 
young soul-winner waited; no answer. Then he 
laid his hand upon the shoulder of the man he had 
come to win, and began again: "You and I have 
been friends for so long that I believe I can help 
you and you can help me in the Christian life, and 
I want you to say to me that you will make the 
decision." Still no reply; but now, as Hudson 
waited with his hand on his friend's arm, he bore 
12 



178 Every-Day Evangelism 

down hard and lovingly on that arm. Then he 
saw on the ledger that was before them big tear- 
drops falling, and he knew that he had his man. 
After a moment more the book-binder's hand was 
thrust out and gripped his caller's, as he said, 
"Hudson, there 's my hand on it. I 'm a Christian 
from this time on." 

From Introduction by C. G. Trumbull, in "The 
How Book," by M. A. Hudson, p. 7. 

Surprises a Cartman and Pledges God to a Good 
Promise. 

After several months of living a Christian life, 
I was much shocked as I was standing in the door 
of our storeroom to hear our old cartman utter a 
long string of oaths as he unloaded the goods from 
his cart. As he was about to leave he saw me 
standing there, and looking somewhat ashamed, he 
said, "I beg your pardon, sir; I did not know 
you were present or I would not have sworn so." 
I at once told him that he need not beg my par- 
don, that the sin he had committed was against 
God, and that he should ask God's pardon instead 
of mine. This led to a conversation in which he 
said he had tried so hard to quit swearing, and 
that for years his good resolutions had been a 
failure. I told him at once that there was only 



Illustrative Incidents 179 

one sure way to quit, and that was to give his 
heart to Christ and to become a Christian. He 
said he had seen a great change in my own life, 
and sometimes thought that perhaps God could 
help him break his habit of swearing. I told him 
that if he would ask God he would receive, and 
that instead' of swear God would put prayer 
in his mouth and the habit would be broken. 
Jumping upon his wagon, he said he thought he 
was too far gone for that and went on his way 
whistling, as if that was the end of it. Within a 
week the same thing happened again, and I re- 
minded him of what I had told him the week be- 
fore, that if he would consent, "God would put 
prayer in his mouth instead of swear." He said 
he would be very happy if he could believe that, 
and that he would do it in a minute; to which 
I responded that it would take only a minute for 
him to surrender to Christ, and he said he would. 
I told him to step into the cellar and we would 
settle the question at once, and back of a large 
hogshead we knelt and he began the Christian life. 
Many times he has told me that it was a miracle 
that God could take him and put "prayer in his 
mouth instead of swear," and that he has never 
sworn from that day. In a few months he drove 
in front of my store in the evening, and calling 



180 Every-Day Evangelism 

me to the curb, showed me an elegant covered car- 
riage containing his wife and a happy family of 
children. With eyes glistening, he said: "Mr. 
Hudson, it pays to be a Christian. Do you see 
the new carriage I have bought ? — and it is the first 
one I ever owned. I have bought carriages for 
the saloon all my life, but now I am keeping my 
money out of the saloon and buying carriages for 
my family." Many years have gone by and Jack 
is still a Christian. 

From "The How Book" of the Baraca Move- 
ment, by M. A. Hudson; page 127. 

E. R. GRAVES. 

Asks Permission to Put a Name on His Prayer List. 

Mr. Graves, as a traveling man, was zealous 
for souls and started a prayer list. Samuel M. 
Sayford, a merchant whom he asked to allow his 
name to go down on this list, wrote his signature 
on it and told j\Ir. Graves that as he had decided 
never to become a Christian he had taken too big 
a contract if he expected to pray him into the king- 
dom. The quiet reply was, "I confidently expect 
my prayer to be answered." When they met again, 
Mr. Sayford had been converted. With tears of 
joy the name was erased, and Mr. Say ford's sub- 



Illustrative Incidents 181 

sequent career as a Christian worker and evangelist 
is well known. 

From "The Art of Soul-winning," J. W. Ma- 
hood, p. 91. More fully in Mr. Say ford's book, 
"Personal Work," p. 85. 

T. Ju. CUYLER. 

Appeals to a Warm Heart. 

The following is an old story, but it is a good 
one, and one which may be successfully imitated. 
It was a cold winter's night, and Dr. Cuyler was 
leaving the home of a rich merchant whom he had 
been visiting. As the door opened and the gale 
swept in, Dr. Cuyler remarked, "What an awful 
night for the poor!" The merchant went and 
brought a roll of bank notes and gave them to 
the pastor, who said, "How is it that a man so 
kind to his fellow-creatures has always been so 
unkind to his Savior as to refuse Him his heart.?" 
The sentence struck in, and later he sent for the 
minister, received instruction, and was converted. 

(Printed in many books of illustrations). 

CHARLES L. GOODELL. 

Accuses a Man of Dishonesty Towards God. 

In one of my pastorates was a man with a large 
and interesting family. The wife and children 



182 Every-Day Evangelism 

were members of the Church and he was not. He 
had come to the city as a young man, absolutely 
penniless. From a humble position as clerk in a 
furniture store he advanced by energy and thrift 
until he was able to start a little business of his 
own. His wife worked with him, and at night he 
delivered with a wheelbarrow the goods he had sold 
during the day. His advance in business was 
rapid, and when I knew him he had a large build- 
ing five stories high packed with furniture, on 
which he did not owe a dollar." He delighted to 
tell me of his early struggles, and asked me to 
come and look over his plant. I took the invita- 
tion as a call from God and went. From the base- 
ment we went up, story after story, to the top of 
the building, he telling me in substance as we 
reached each landing, "Is not this great Babylon 
which I have builded?" and I wondering when it 
would be best for me to give the prophet's mes- 
sage. At last we reached the top floor. It was 
crowded with refrigerators, but my heart was hot. 
"You say this is all yours. You do not owe a 
d,ollar. Once you were poor. You have had 
splendid health, while your nearest competitor 
sickened and died. His wife was insane, while 
yours has helped you at every turn. You say 
your competitor was your superior in training and 
experience, but things were against him. So it 



Illustrative Incidents 183 

seems that the greatest factor In this success has 
been, not yourself, but God. He gave you health 
and a good wife and fortunate surroundings. 
What have you ever done to show your gratitude ? 
You do not even ask a blessing at the loaded table 
in your elegant home, — much less call your chil- 
dren about you for family prayers. So far as they 
would know, you absolutely disown Him who has 
crowned your life with success. Is such a course 
manly or honest? And if not, about how long do 
you plan to keep it up?" There was silence in the 
refrigerator loft, and the strong man was moved. 
Then I said tenderly: "I am persuaded better 
things of you. We are here alone. Is n't it a 
good time to settle this great question?" He 
looked me full in the eye for a moment, then reach- 
ing over a low refrigerator that stood between us, 
he took my hand in a vise-like grip, and said: "I 
never saw it that way before. If God will forgive 
me, I will own Him before the world and serve Him 
as long as I live." I came around to his side of 
the refrigerator, and we knelt on the bare floor 
and prayed together. The ice was all melted, and 
there were scalding tears on his cheeks. He kept 
his word, and that day is a good day for me to 
recall when the fire burns low. 

From "Pastoral and Personal Evangelism," 
Charles L. Goodell, D. D., p. 60. 



184 Every-Day Evangelism 

EDWIN H. HUGHES 

Writes Letters and Follows Them Up with Direct 
Appeal. 
I had In my congregation a man of seventy- 
eight. He was freight trainmaster on one of the 
largest railway systems in the East. He had been 
attendant on the Church of which I was pastor 
for sixty-five years, ever since he was thirteen years 
of age. I wrote him letters. One evening I rang 
his door-bell, and said, "I have come to spend part 
of the evening with you and talk over the religious 
life." He did not feel very comfortable, and neither 
did I. But we went into the parlor and sat down. 
I talked with that man for an hour and a half. 
Before that time had passed he yielded himself 
to Christ. I said not a word to him with reference 
to public confession. Our prayer-meeting was on 
Friday night. To my surprise and gratification 
that gentleman came to prayer-meeting, and when 
the time for testimony came he was the first man 
to make a public confession. 

Wins a Man in His Office. 

I remember going into the office of a young 
man, a regular attendant at my Church, and sit- 
ting down with him in the private office, I said : ^'I 
have felt for quite a number of months as though 
I ought to have a talk with you about your re- 



Illustrative Incidents 185 

ligious duty." I talked away for five minutes, and 
finally gave him a chance to speak. He said: "I 
have wanted to do this for months, and I have 
been hoping that you would come and have a talk 
with me." Right in the office that young man 
started on a successful Christian career. 

Secures the Aid of Another in Reaching a Friend. 

I remember working on a layman, a business 
man, who had been a trustee of the Church, and 
when I could go no farther I went to a fellow 
trustee, and said : "I want you to have a talk with 
him." This man, who had been a member of the 
General Conference, said, "I never did such a thing 
as that." I said: "It is time you began to do it. 
Go to him in a natural way, and if your religious 
life has been a help to you, tell the man so, and try 
to get him to accept the Lord." He said, "I do n't 
know how I will get on." He took him off to 
dinner, and had the joy of leading him to Christ. 
And what a spirit of confidence and courage came 
to the heart of the layman who, in twenty-five years 
of Christian life, had never tried directly to lead 
anybody to Jesus Christ! 

From an address, "The Every-day Evangel- 
ist," by Bishop Edwin H. Hughes, in "Catching* 
Men," Brushingham. 



186 Every-Day Evangelism 

LOUIS ALBERT BANKS 

Makes a Shrewd hut Fair Bargain. 

He was a grocer's clerk, and I met him first 
at the parsonage door when he came to see if he 
could get my trade. He was a quick-eyed, ruddy- 
cheeked fellow, short and round, but alive, every 
inch of him. I was very much pleased with him, 
and before he got away I inquired: "Where do 
you go to Church.'^" 

"Well, to tell the truth, Dominie, I do n't go 
anywhere." 

"Why not.?" 

"O, I do n't know. Got out of the habit, I 
guess. I used to go to Church at home in Nova 
Scotia." 

"Well," I said, "you will have to come and see 
me now, anyhow. Turn about is fair play. If I 
buy your goods, you will have to come and take 
some of my goods." 

That seemed to strike his fa?ncy, and he went 
away saying, "All right, I '11 come around next 
Sunday night." To make sure he did come around, 
I went to the store on purpose the next Saturday 
afternoon, and looked him up and reminded him 
that I would be looking for him. 

It was my habit then, as now, to be at the 
door of the church Sunday morning and evening 



Illustrative Incidents 187 

when the church is opened, and shake hands with 
the people when they come in, till time for the 
service to begin. So the next Sunday evening I 
was on the lookout for my grocer's clerk. When 
he came I had a word with him. I said to him : "I 
have been thinking about you and praying about 
you ever since I talked to you the other morning 
at my house." I told him that I had been homesick 
all week because there was not a man or a woman 
in the community whom I had won to Christ. ''And 
now," said I, "I have been hoping and praying that 
the Lord will give me you to-night. I somehow feel 
that it was providential that you came to me the 
other day, and that if you will begin to be a Chris- 
tian at once we shall begin our pastorate here to- 
gether, and you and I together can do a great deal 
of good with the blessing of God." 

He seemed very much touched. He was a 
noble fellow, and the brotherly way in which I 
approached him, and my appeal to his better self 
to come to Christ so that he could do good, seemed 
to get hold. 

The theme of the sermon that evening was the 
story of the little boy who had the loaves and 
fishes which, in the hands of Christ, became suffi- 
cient to feed the multitude. It gave me a great 
chance to get at my young clerk, and I pressed 



188 Every-Day Evangelism 

the gospel home, with him in mind, with all the 
power I had. The Holy Spirit blessed the mes- 
sage. I could see by his glistening eye and the 
rapt look on his face that he was greatly interested. 
At the close of the sermon I announced that 
there would be an after-meeting in the vestry, and 
urged Christians and all others who were inter- 
ested to remain with us. To my great joy my 
grocer's clerk came in, and on my giving an op- 
portunity for any who would like to begin the 
Christian life to manifest it by rising, he was 
almost at once on his feet. 

From "Soul-winning Stories," by Louis Albert 
Banks, D. D. 



CHAPTER XII 
THE KING'S BUSINESS 

The King's business is the saving of men. For 
this He came to earth: for this He gave a hfetime 
of patient toil and teaching: for this He died and 
was raised from the dead: for this He ever Uveth, 
making intercession. 

The King's business is that of His followers. 
He taught them : "I will make you fishers of men," 
"Go make disciples of all the nations," "Ye shall 
be My witnesses." One does not have to be in a 
membership department or on a committee to get 
into this business; he has his commission from the 
King Himself; it is the command of his Lord, 
as well as the prompting of his own heart. Why, 
then, make choice of a select number for a work 
which has been laid upon all? The answer has 
been given, — to inspire added interest, to afford 
opportunity for training, to systematize the work 
so that it may be done thoroughly, to secure the 
advantages of co-operation, to raise up an army 

189 



190 Every-Day Evangelism 

of qualified workers who will enlist and guide others 
to the most effective service. But if comprehensive- 
ness of plan and unity of effort are not obtained, 
let him whose soul flames with love for men and 
with concern for their salvation go forth unaided 
by human strength, but certain that the power of 
the Holy Spirit will attend his efforts. 

A great work can be done by one individual, 
who has the spirit of the founder of "The Order 
of the Grain of Mustard.'' Tholuck wisely took 
up the phrase of Zinzendorf , "I have but one pas- 
sion; it is He." This supreme passion transforms 
its possessor. He receives courage and might not 
his own. He is determined to obey and exalt his 
Lord. At all hazards His work shall be done and 
His kingdom established. Would that the ambi- 
tions of a pleasure-loving, gain-seeking age were 
replaced with a new and stronger love for Christ! 
It were well that the depth of feeling were in us 
which burns in the utterance of Madame Guyon: 

**Why have I not a thousand, thousand hearts, 
Lord of my soul ! that they might all be Thine? 
If Thou approve — the zeal Thy smile imparts — 
How should it ever fail? Can such a fire decline? 

Love, pure and holy, is a deathless fire ; 

Its object heavenly, it must ever blaze ; 

Eternal love a God must needs inspire, 

When once He wins the heart, and fits it for His praise." 



The King's Business 191 

It IS because Christ is not loved as He should 
be that there is not more love for men. These two 
great passions in essence are one, — ^the passion for 
Christ and the passion for souls. History is proof. 
The notable movements for human redemption have 
been inspired by the spirit of Christian affection, 
and the efforts made to rescue individuals from the 
power and effects of evil habits have been exerted 
as the result of the same influence. It is those who 
love Christ who seek to win the drunkard from his 
cups ; the Magdalen from her sins ; the gambler, the 
thief, the blasphemer, the liar from wicked and 
ruinous ways. In spite of notorious instances to 
the contrary within the pale of the Church, it Is 
also true that it is those who love Christ who are 
striving to break the bands of selfishness, oppres- 
sion, and injustice, and to bring men who are 
guilty of abusing their power over others to an 
attitude of justice and good-will. One obtains some 
idea of the debt which the world owes to the al- 
truistic influence of Christianity in past genera- 
tions by reading such works as Gesta Christi^ and 
Social Evolution,^ while the present opportunity is 
reflected in Jesus Christ and the Social Problem,* 



1 Charles Lorlng Brace. 8 Francis G. Peabody. 

2 Benjamin Kidd. 



192 Every-Day Evangelism 

in Christianity and the Social Crisis,* and in similar 
modern writings. 

The love of Christ will settle right the social 
questions, and that this may be the sooner effected 
it sends those who have received its fullness into 
the offices of daily evangelism. In personal salva- 
tion is the principle of moral progress. We may 
get right laws and good sewers, clean houses, and 
honest public officers, wholesome food and wise in- 
struction; but, though these and other material 
improvements have been realized, the world in which 
we live will be a bad world until bad hearts are no 
more. Therefore he is working at the very center 
of the ethical and even of the industrial issues of 
his time who is leading his fellows into touch with 
the Redeemer of men. 

The King's business is not to be done incon- 
siderately, but thoughtfully and tactfully. While 
sincerity and earnestness are always influential, 
their effectiveness is many times multiplied by care- 
fulness and good judgment. "He that winneth 
souls is wise," should be understood to mean both 
that this is the work of wisdom, and that it is to 
be done as wisely as possible. One must cultivate 
the art of approach, the natural and sympathetic 
way of getting at the mind which he would impress. 

4 Walter Rauschenbusch, 



The King's Business 193 



There must be an entire absence of the artificial 
about our efforts to lead men Christward. Each 
act and word should be the overflowing of a spirit 
whose inner experience is in accord with the task. 
What progress the kingdom of God would make 
if all Christians were in the state of grace which 
enables one to speak of religion as simply and in- 
genuously as of any matter of Importance and of 
tenderness. Successful life winners have taught 
us to keep our hearts so full of Christ that we 
may talk of Him as easily and familiarly as we 
would of any friend. They were every-day evan- 
gelists, using with skill the constant openings 
which the relationships and happenings of life 
afford. Hewitson saw a mother standing in her 
dooryard with her babe. He approached her and 
said, "Mother, I trust that your soul is resting 
as safely in the arms of Jesus as that little one 
rests in your arms." Dean Stanley met two sol- 
diers who were looking at the monuments of famous 
leaders and heroes in Westminster Abbey. He 
placed a hand upon an arm of each and said, "You 
wear the Queen's uniform, and I am sure you 
would like to do something heroic and have a 
monument here." Of course they would. "Well," 
said their questioner, "all the monuments here will 
in time crumble away, but if your names are 
13 



194 Every-Day Evangelism 

written in the Lamb's Book of Life, you will have 
a memorial that will never fail." A college pro- 
fessor in New England, feeling that an effort 
should be made to reach a student who had become 
dissipated, went to him and said : "There is a gifted 
young man in this college whom I wish to save. 
Will you help me?" When the student found but 
that it was himself to whom the professor referred, 
he was deeply moved, and the result proved the 
value of tactfulness. 

Because illustrations of personal work are gen- 
erally taken from the experience of ministers and 
evangelists, it must not be supposed that they are 
necessarily either more zealous or more successful 
in conducting the King's business than are many 
others. This is a work which depends for its re- 
sults, not upon personalities or offices, but upon 
the Spirit of God in the heart of the worker. The 
preacher of the Gospel, of course, must be active 
in it, and he has not learned the first rudiments of 
his calling if he has not come to realize with Henry 
Ward Beecher, that "the best sermons are those 
where one man is the minister and one man is the 
congregation." But in all the ranks of the min- 
istry it would be difficult to find soul-winners who 
are either more expert or more efficient than are a 
large number who are connected with secular pro- 



The King's Business 195 

fessions and occupations. Christian physicians, 
teachers, business men, soldiers, and statesmen. 
Such laymen as Shaftesbury, George Williams, 
William E. Gladstone, "Chinese" Gordon, John 
Howard, Oliver O. Howard, John Vassar, Profes- 
sor Drummond, and countless others, are noted as 
having proved themselves accepted channels of 
Divine grace. Modern men of affairs, like John 
L. Houghtaling, M. A. Hudson, Wellington Wood, 
Harvey E. Dingley, and Robert H. Gardiner, 
when wholly devoted to Christian service, are fit 
instruments for the communication of the word 
and power of eternal life. But the truth stops not 
here ; of the most earnest, and I doubt not success- 
ful, every-day evangelists I have ever known, one 
was a millhand, another a cartman, another a col- 
lector, another a housemaid. Indeed, the best per- 
sonal-workers are not often found in the higher 
walks of life, or of those who possess greatest 
native ability. "It is not by might nor by power, 
but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts." 

The gracious influence of a consecrated woman 
is a powerful agent in securing conversions, and 
every effort should be made to bring the women 
of the Church to realize this and to make better 
use of their strength. O, to get the woman who 



196 Every-Day Evangelism 

is devoting her talents to clubs and sororities, or 
whose time is given to social frivolities, to enter 
with enthusiasm and with sweet persuasiveness the 
work of bringing her friends to Christ ! The world 
will never be better or more Christian than its 
women. If they are indifferent to the religious 
interests, not only of their associates, but of their 
own children, the kingdom of God will be long 
in conquering the kingdoms of the world; but if 
they seek and seize the many opportunities which 
come to them they will find that through their 
deeds God works miracles of redeeming grace. 
What an honor' and privilege is this ! How much 
better to be an Ursula Cotta, planting moral ideas 
in the mind of some young Luther, than to be a 
queen of society. It was Maria Millis, a pious 
nurse, who developed in Lord Shaftesbury the love 
of goodness and who taught him the prayers which, 
to his dying day, he continued to use. A Christian 
woman taught Martin Boos, the Bavarian Luther, 
the secret of justification by faith, as the result 
of which instruction such peace came to his heart 
and such an anointing of the Holy Spirit, that 
"flames of fire darted from his lips and the hearts 
of people kindled like straw." It was Barbara 
Heck who rebuked the backslidden Wesleyans of 



The King's Business 197 

New York, and stirred the timid soul of Embury 
to his high career. One of the Methodist Bishops, 
in the account of his conversion, tells of the help- 
fulness of ^'Mother" Hunter, a saintly woman 
whose "words gave just the searching instruction 
and tender encouragement that the humbled skeptic 
and penitent needed." Of another woman of this 
type who recently passed to her reward, a prom- 
inent man says : "She came to the pew where I was 
sitting and placed her hand on my head. I arose 
right up under it, and followed her to the altar. 
I could not do otherwise." To have so much of 
Christ in one's life as did these women, and to be 
able to do such works of saving love, should be 
held before all womankind as the highest ideal. 
There are many women of to-day who, in Church 
and out of it, are exerting themselves to enlarge 
the circle of Christian believers, and to deepen the 
religious experience of those who have claimed the 
love of Christ. They use their best endeavors with 
their own families, with the children whom they 
teach in Sunday-school, with their neighbors and 
personal friends, and they do not forget the 
butcher's boy, the banana man, or the shop girl, 
but loave with these also some word of suggestion, 
inspiration, or invitation. Why should it not be 
impressed upon every woman of Christendom that 



198 Every-Day Evangelism 

this is her work, divinely appointed, to be strength- 
ened by her Hf e, supplemented by her prayers, and 
to be counted her chief joy? 

What is the relation of children to the work 
which we are considering? They are not to be 
taught to be little prigs, to be precocious or for- 
ward in their intercourse with others. But they 
can surely be the King's pages and heralds, exert- 
ing a Christian influence at home and in school, 
and even making definite eff^orts to lead their 
friends into the higher life. They will probably not 
be enrolled in a membership committee, but they 
may wisely be encouraged by those who are lead- 
ing them, to let their light shine as they have daily 
opportunities. What a vast accumulation of illus- 
trations have gathered around the text, "A little 
child shall lead them!" Not only does the child's 
unconscious purity and love tend to draw the 
thought and allegiance heavenward, but by the 
intelligent appeals of children many men and 
women have been brought to Christ. A little girl, 
recently converted, knelt down by her grandfather 
and prayed God to lead him to become a Christian, 
and that as he was getting old he might decide 
to attend to it right away. The plea proved ir- 
resistible. A young lad who came to the first chil- 
dren's class I ever formed, brought the whole 



The King's Business 199 

family, one at a time, to the Church, where they 
came into the Christian Hfe, last of all the father, 
who was soon one of the officials. Bishop Joseph 
F. Berry was led to Christ by two young friends. 
Jennie Fowler Willing once gave an account of a 
boy who wrote down a list of forty companions 
who were not Christians. Then, one by one, he 
talked with them, showed them verses of Scriptures 
which he thought would be helpful, and prayed 
that his work might be successful. It was said 
that at length the whole number had been con- 
verted through his efforts. Why not? If a child 
can be saved, he can be the means God employs 
to save others. Little keys open doors which are 
closed to larger ones. In seeking to accom- 
plish a great work every helpful force is to be 
utilized. Therefore, let not the Christian influence 
of children be despised or go undirected. 

The King's business requires haste. Since the 
days are flying, and thousands are living Christ- 
less lives and dropping into Christless graves, there 
is no time to waste. Let the affairs of the king- 
dom of God be made first in thought and in act, 
especially if it be the purpose to speak to another 
about his soul, do it now ! Two brothers in London 
were converted. They had another brother in 
Ireland who was not a Christian, and liim they 



200 Every-Day Evangelism 

telegraphed, "Come at once ; very important busi- 
ness." When he arrived they took him into their 
private office, and, with tears, told him their ex- 
perience, and besought him to join with them in 
serving Christ. He consented and they were united 
in an act which is not only very important, but 
vital to every soul. This occurred during one of 
Mr. Moody's campaigns in London, and as the 
result of that conception of the King's business 
which made Dwight L. Moody not merely a won- 
derful leader of men in the mass, but what is even 
better, one of the most expert dealers with the 
problems and issues of the individual heart. 

The delight of this work! Who shall describe 
it? The satisfaction of the effort itself, inde- 
pendent of the outcome, is abundant reward. One 
of the happiest men I ever saw was a man who 
had been taken into the membership department as 
the representative of one of the Church societies, 
though he had never been a personal worker. 
When he found out the nature of the service, he 
felt that he was not fitted for it, but he was not 
one of the kind which gives up without a trial. 
After his first call at the business place of a man 
whose name had been assigned to him, he came to 
my office full of enthusiasm. He had been received 
kindly, was listened to patiently, ' and was asked 



The King's Business 201 

to come again. He was conscious of duty done 
as best as he was able, and was hopeful of a 
good result. He rejoiced with exultation of speech 
and manner. Ever since that time he has been 
engaged in similar undertakings for the pleasure, 
the down-right joy of them. I would add my own 
experience. The happiest periods of my life have 
been those when I have been most continuously 
engaged in hand-to-hand work for the salvation 
of the people. I have walked the street as light 
as air. I have sung joyful songs in my heart as 
I stood on the doorstep, waited in office or parlor, 
or departed after an attempt, whether apparently 
successful or not, to gain access with the truth 
of Christ to the heart of an individual. Life was 
never more sweet, and Christ and Heaven never 
seemed so true and good, as when I was on the hunt 
for souls. Every hour so spent has deepened the 
conviction in my mind that this is Kingly business. 
Phillips Brooks once said, "I do not believe 
any man ever yet genuinely, humbly, thoroughly 
gave himself to Christ without some other finding 
Christ through him.'' It is not always given to 
one to be told that he has been the means of 
another's conversion. But there is a deep satis- 
faction, passing the honors and pleasures of or- 
dinary life, when the conviction comes home to 



202 Every-Day Evangelism 

us that some effort of ours has been at least one 
of the determining factors in so great a matter. 
A noted ruler of the last century, one day by his 
promptness and persistence, was the means of 
rescuing a man from impending death. When he 
realized what he had done, he exclaimed, "This is 
the happiest day of my life ; I have saved a man !" 
Surpassing this is the joy of saving from self and 
sin, from folly and eternal death a human soul. 
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so is the 
cure of souls more than the saving of bodies to 
this world, and the blessing of the one infinitely 
exceeds that of the other. 

The King's business is the enthronement of 
Christ in hearts which give Him allegiance, hom- 
age, obedience. But it is no easy task to seat a 
sovereign on a hostile throne, or to crown a ruler 
against the opposition of powerful forces which 
resist his sway. 

At the first federation of Christian students in 
Japan, they decided to cable the young men who 
were in convention assembled at Northfield, and 
this was the message they sent: "Make Jesus 
King!" This ringing message so impressed the 
Christian young men of America that they cabled 
it to Sweden, where there was a gathering of Chris- 
tian young people from different parts of Europe. 



The King's Business 203 

The effect was electrical. The cry, "Make Jesus 
King !" was taken up by that convention and passed 
on to others until it reached Southern Europe, 
almost girdling the globe. 

How many members of these bodies realized 
what they were saying.^ An easy optimism is that 
of youth. It is apt to be sincere, but it is not 
always far-seeing; neither does it count the cost 
of that which it proclaims. The war-cry of the 
Christian students of Japan is not literally accu- 
rate. We can not make Jesus King, for He is 
already King of kings and Lord of lords. All 
things belong to Him ; all men are His subjects ; all 
love is His due. He is King by right! It is our 
task, however, to help to make Him King in fact; 
and in this sense there is meaning and true purpose 
in the slogan, "Make Jesus King !" But this is to 
be emphasized strongly, that as a mere motto and 
catch-phrase such a saying is mockery. It is pro- 
faning the liOrd's name, and treating Him with 
lightness, if not with contempt, unless it expresses 
the mighty effort of our lives. And it will take 
a mighty effort, nothing less, to make Jesus King 
in a realm of so many evil principalities and 
powers, in a world of so much spiritual wickedness 
in places high and low. This will never be done 



204 Every-Day Evangelism 

unless Christianity gets at work with tremendous 
self-sacrifice and determination. 

When Charles XII was proclaimed King of 
Sweden, a powerful coalition of nations was formed 
again him, including Russia, Denmark, Saxony, 
and Poland. But around the young monarch 
gathered a little band of brave hearts who were 
supremely devoted to his fortunes, and who were 
resolved to peril all in the effort to firmly establish 
his throne. At Narva, eight thousand of them, 
not waiting for the balance of the small Swedish 
army to come up, attacked Peter of Russia, who, 
with eighty thousand soldiers, was besieging the 
city. It was a baptism of blood and fire through 
which they passed, and at the close of the action 
many brave men were stretched upon the field to 
rise no more. But the victory was won, and con- 
sternation filled the allied enemies against whose 
deadliest efforts Charles was made a powerful 
ruler. 

Jesus Christ will never be made King by 
waving banners, by rallying cries, or by singing 
Coronation. Battles must be waged against the 
devil; there must be mighty conflicts with sin, and 
magnificent and costly victories must be won over 
the powers which enthrall men and keep them from 



The King's Business 205 

serving Christ. The warfare of Christianity is 
one of love and not of slaughter; no less on that 
account does It require courage, ability, and devo- 
tion. Manj^ will yet lay down their lives for It, 
and many more will lay down a life on this altar. 
But It is the King's cause, and will triumph, and 
in all the future they that winning souls were wise 
shall shine as the firmament, and they that turned 
many to righteousness, as the stars forever. 



BOOKS WHICH MAY PROVE 
HELPFUL 

While the following is not an exhaustive list, 
it is believed that it contains the leading names 
in this field, at least those of modern times. 

Helpful tracts have been included, especially 
those prepared under the direction of the Inter- 
national Committee of the Young Men's Christian 
Association. 

While the publications in this list represent 
various houses, Jennings & Graham, or Eaton & 
Mains, will undertake to furnish them in response 
to orders received. There is, sometimes, a reduc- 
tion from the list price stated, or a cheaper edition. 
Postage may in some cases slightly increase the net 
cost. 

It would be a good thing for each Church to 
possess a fairly complete library of personal work 
literature. I have found it helpful to take before 
my membership department quantities of several 
of the more inexpensive books, which I have sold 

'206 



Helpful Books 207 

to the members at cost rates. Others I have 
recommended them to secure for themselves. 

Putting one of the best of these books into 
the hands of a Christian man or woman will often 
result in an addition to the number of those who 
are every-day evangelists. 

Personal Evangelism. 

The Art of Soul- Winning. J. W. Mahood $0 25 

Best Texts for Soul Winners. M. B. Williams 25 

Catching Men. J. P. Brushingham, D. D., and 

others 75 

Christ Among Men, Object Lessons in Personal 

Work. James McConaughy 40-20 

Christ as a Personal Worker. L. W. Messer 5 

Evangelistic Work in Principle and Practice. A. T. 

Pierson, D. D 35 

Fishers of Men. J. A. Eichards 25 

Hints on How to Win Souls. C. H. Yatman 5 

How to Bring Men to Christ. E. A. Torrey, D. D.. 75-25 

How to Deal with Temptation. Eobt. E. Speer 25-10 

Individual Work for Individuals. H. Clay Trum- 
bull 75-35 

Jimmie Moore of Bucktown. M. E. Trotter 75 

Not in the Curriculum. Introduction, Van Dyke.. 50 

Outlines for Christian Workers. Mehaffey 

Passion for Souls. J. H. Jowett 50 

Pastoral and Personal Evangelism. Charles L. 

Goodell, D. D 1 00 

Personal Work. S. M. Sayford 75 

Personal Work, How Organized and Accomplished. 

Ober-Mott 10 



208 Every- Day Evangelism 

Personal Work and the Personal Worker. D. O. 

Shelton $0 05 

Personal Worker's Helper. J. H. Elliott, D. D 05 

Soul Winner. Charles H. Spurgeon 1 25 

Soul-Winning Stories. Louis Albert Banks, D. D.... 1 00 
Stones from the Brook, Effective Scriptures. J. E. 

Coulter 10 

Studies for Personal Workers. Howard Agnew 

Johnston, D. D 63-45 

Success in Soul-Winning. Lamb 25 

Tactology , a work regarded by some as being highly 

fanciful. W. H. Young, Ph. D 75 

Taking Men Alive. Charles Gallaudet Trumbull.... 60-40 

Winning Men One by One. H. Wellington Wood.... 50 

Worker's Weapon. J. H. Elliott, D. D 50 

Young Man's Question. Eobert E. Speer 80 

Yours, a Book for Young Converts. F. B. Hoag- 

land 05 

Evangelism. 

Consecrated Work. J. F. Cummings 75 

Conversion of Children. E. P. Hammond, D. D.... 25 

Early Conversion. E. P. Hammond, D. D 25 

Evangelism. G. Campbell Morgan, D. D 50 

Evangelism, Old and New. A. 0. Dixon, D. D 1 00 

Evangelistic Note. W.J.Dawson 1 25 

Great Commission. Wentworth F. Stewart 50 

Handbook of Eevivals, 1874. H. C. Fish, D. D 1 50 

Hints on Prayer, Eevival, etc. C. H. Yatman 25 

Letters on Evangelism. Bishop Edwin H. Hughes.. 25 

Modern Evangelism. M. W. Haynes 35 

Narratives of Eemarkable Conversions and Eevival 

Incidents, Old. Wm. C. Conant 

New Evangelism. Drummond 1 50 

Old Evangelism and New Evangelism. T. T. Eaton.. 75 



Helpful Books 209 

Perennial Revival. William B. Eiley $1 25 

Present Day Evangelism. J. W. Chapman, D. D.... 60 
Primitive Traits in Eeligious Revivals. Frederick 

Morgan Davenport 1 50 

Revival Addresses. R. A. Torrey, D. D 1 00 

Revival of Religion in England in the Eighteenth 

Century 1 25 

Romance of Christian Work and Experience. W. 

Hay. M. H. Aitken 2 00 

Sowing and Reaping. D.L.Moody 30 

The Evangelistic Aw^akening. Stewart 75 

The New Evangelism. Cortland Myers 35-20 

The Revival. A Symposium edited by J. H. Mc- 
Donald 75 

The Soul-Winning Church. Broughton 50 

Methods. 

The Church and Young Men. Frank Graves Cres- 

sey, Ph. D 1 25 

Effectiveness in Christian Work. J. G. K. McClure.. 10 
God^s Methods of Training Workers. Howard 

Agnew Johnston, D. D 75-50 

The ''How" Book. Marshall A. Hudson 50 

How to Deal with Doubts and Doubters. H. Clay 

Trumbull 65 

How to Promote and Conduct a Successful Revival. 

R. A. Torrey 1 00 

How to Make Jesus Christ Real. John R. Mott 05 

Method in Soul- Winning. Henry C. Mabie 75 

Power for Witnessing. Albion F. Ballenger 1 00 

Revival of a Dead Church. L. G. Broughton, D. D.. 30 
Religious AVork for Men, Principles and Methods, 

Part ly 50 

Ways to Win. D. Hague 50 



210 Every-Day Evangelism 



The Way of Life. 

And Peter. J. W. Chapman, D. D $0 30 

Being a Christian. Washington Gladden 25 

Becoming a Christian. Cleland B. McAfee 05 

Chapters of Blessing from the Book of Life, with 
Counsels on the Way of Life. Theodore S. 

Henderson , 15 

From Death Unto Life. J. H. Brookes 50 

Faith Building. W. P. Merrill 25 

How to be Saved. J. H. Brookes 50 

How Shall I Go to God ? H. Bonar 30 

Our Eedemption. F. A. Noble 1 00 

Personal Salvation. Edward N. Cantwell 75 

Personal Salvation. W. F. Tillet, D. D., LL. D 1 25 

Plan of Salvation. Charles H. Spurgeon 50 

Simple Things of the Christian Life. G. Campbell 

Morgan, D. D 50 

Twelve Sermons for Enquirers. Charles H. Spur- 
geon 50 

The Fight for Character. Henry Churchill King.... 10 

Up from Sin. L. G. Broughton 30 

The Way of Salvation. Charles G. Finney 1 50 

Way to God. D. L. Moody 30 

The Way and the Word. D. L. Moody 30 

Words for the Anxious. M. B. Williams 05 

Biography. 

Autobiography. Charles G. Finney 1 25 

Evangelistic Work. (Last half has accounts of 
Shaftesbury, McAll, McAuley, and others.) 

A. T. Pearson, D. D 1 25 

Life of Dwight L. Moody. W. K. Moody 2 50 

Life of H^nry Drummond. George Adam Smith:... 3 00 

Life of Sir George^Williams. J. E. H. WiUiams 1 05 

14 



Helpful Books 211 

Life Story of Henry Clay Trumbull. P. E. Howard... $1 00 
Lives of David Brainerd and Henry Martyn. Page. 

Each 75 

Lessons from Life of D. L. Moody. R. A. Torrey... 10 
Memorial of a True Life, Story of Hugh Beaver. 

R. E, Speer 65 

Memorial of Horace William Rose. H. W. Hicks.... 65 

Memorial of Horace T. Pitkin. R. E. Speer 1 00 

Personal Life of Livingstone. Blaikie 1 50 

Young Men Who Overcame. R. E. Speer 1 00 



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